Abbreviation | BTRC |
---|---|
Formation | 2002 |
Purpose | Regulate telecommunication in Bangladesh |
Headquarters | Dhaka, Bangladesh |
Region served | Bangladesh |
Official language | Bengali |
Chairman | Md Mohiuddin Ahmed |
Parent organization | Posts and Telecommunications Division |
Website | www |
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ টেলিযোগাযোগ নিয়ন্ত্রণ কমিশন) is an independent commission founded under the Bangladesh Telecommunication Act, 2001 (Act # 18 of 2001). The BTRC is responsible for regulating all matters related to telecommunications (wire, cellular, satellite and cable) of Bangladesh. The chairman of the commission has the status of a judge of the Bangladesh High Court.[1] Md Mohiuddin Ahmed is the chairman of the commission.[2]
History
In 1979, the Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board was created through the Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board ordinance.[3] The ordinance was revised in 1995.[3]
The BTRC started operating from 31 January 2002 with a vision of facilitating affordable telecommunication services and increasing the teledensity to at least 10 telephones per 100 inhabitants by 2010.[3] The ordinance was updated with the passage of Telecommunication Act (Corrected) bill in 2010.[3]
In 2016, the salaries of the commissions and chairman was doubled by the government of Bangladesh.[4]
Censorship
In March 2013, BTRC was criticised by the Human Rights Watch[5] and other groups for banning a number of "atheist blogger" websites.[6] Blogs banned by the BTRC included the award-winning popular blog[7] by Asif Mohiuddin, who had been attacked by a machete wielding group in January.[8]
Mohiuddin was arrested the following month,[9] along with three other bloggers .[10]
Chairmen
Sl No. | Name | Term Start | Term End | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Syed Margub Murshed | 31 January 2002 | 30 January 2005 | [11] |
2. | Muhammad Omar Farooq | 31 March 2005 | 15 March 2007 | [11] |
3. | Major General Manzurul Alam | 22 April 2007 | 10 February 2009 | [11] |
4. | Major General Zia Ahmed | 26 February 2009 | 10 September 2012 | [11] |
5. | Md. Giashuddin Ahmed | 10 September 2012 | 22 October 2012 | [11] |
6. | Sunil Kanti Bose | 23 October 2012 | 23 September 2015 | [12][13] |
7. | Shahjahan Mahmood | 24 September 2015 | 1 September 2018 | [13] |
8. | Md Jahurul Haque | 31 January 2019 | 4 December 2020 | [14][15] |
9. | Shyam Sunder Sikder | 14 December 2020 | 11 December 2023 | [15] |
10. | Md Mohiuddin Ahmed | 11 December 2023 | Present |
Gallery
- Under Construction in BTRC Building
- Under Construction in BTRC Building Southwest side
- Under Construction in BTRC Building Southeast side
See also
References
- ↑ "BTRC chairman to enjoy status of HC judge". UNB. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ↑ "Comissioners". Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- 1 2 3 4 "Vision & History". Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ↑ Ahmed, Shamim. "Salaries 'to double' for BTRC chief, commissioners". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ↑ "Bangladesh: Crackdown on Bloggers, Editors Escalates". Human Rights Watch. 15 April 2013.
- ↑ Arafatul Islam (25 March 2013). "Bangladesh gags award-winning blogger". Deutsche-Welle.
- ↑ Asif Mohiuddin. "God, Almighty only in name but impotent in reality (transl)". somewhereinblog.net. present blog page reads: "blog has been withdrawn or cancelled for violating terms and conditions" (transl.)
- ↑ "4 held over attempt to kill blogger". The Daily Star. 2 April 2013.
- ↑ "Blogger Asif Mohiuddin arrested over "blasphemous" blog posts". Reporters Without Borders. 3 April 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. quote: "We call for Mohiuddin’s immediate and unconditional release," Reporters Without Borders said.
- ↑ Emran Hossain (4 March 2013). "Bangladesh Arrests 'Atheist Bloggers,' Cracking Down on Critics". The Huffington Post.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Previous Comissioners". Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ↑ "Sunil Kanti Bose is new BTRC Chairman". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- 1 2 "MNP will solve call drops menace, says outgoing BTRC Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ↑ "BTRC gets new chairman". The Daily Star. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- 1 2 "Shyam Sunder Sikder made BTRC chairman". Dhaka Tribune. 14 December 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2022.