Banglalink’s bid for 2,100MHz spectrum rejected by Bangladesh regulator

Details: Manny Pham; Category: Regulation; 10 July 2025; 7174 views

Bangladesh’s telecoms regulator has rejected an appeal by Banglalink to acquire 5MHz of spectrum in the 2,100MHz band outside of the ongoing auction process.

According to a report by Daily Sun, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) dismissed the proposal as “illogical” and “unwanted,” criticising the operator for seeking spectrum while an auction for airwaves in the same band is currently underway.

Banglalink’s managing director and CEO, Erik Aas, had reportedly submitted a letter to the BTRC offering to acquire the 5MHz block for BDT 8.3 million (USD 68,000). In the letter, Aas stated:

“Banglalink’s offer is subject to the reallocation of our current 5MHz block in the 2100MHz band, so that when it is combined with the new spectrum, the combined 10MHz (paired) 2100MHz spectrum will be contiguous.”

However, the offer appears significantly below market expectations. Daily Sun noted that spectrum in the 2,100MHz band - previously sold for 3G services - had fetched USD 21 million, just above the base price of USD 20 million.

In its response, the BTRC criticised Banglalink’s proposal as “unclear,” “unrealistic,” and a “breach of the aim of the auction.” The commission warned that accepting such offers could destabilise the telecoms sector and discourage operator participation in future spectrum auctions.