শিরোনাম :
Despite an ongoing corruption investigation into Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited’s (BTCL) much-debated 5G Readiness Project, efforts are reportedly underway within the Posts and Telecommunications Division to revive the controversial Tk 326 crore initiative.
Documents obtained by The Mirror Asia reveal that the division wrote to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on 21 April, requesting inspections of factories linked to the project’s contractors — a move aimed at facilitating final payments for equipment, even as the investigation proceeds.
Sources have described the attempt to release project funds as "unethical," given the serious allegations of corruption that tainted the project during the previous Awami League government. In response to the letter, the ACC, on 18 June, confirmed that its investigation team had already uncovered "primary proof of irregularities and corruption" in the project.
BTCL’s own legal counsel has advised that if these allegations are proven, appropriate legal action must be taken against those involved. Several project officials have also warned that proceeding with payments or procurement while an active investigation is underway could be illegal.
Despite these concerns, Faiz Ahmed Taiyeb, the special assistant for posts, telecommunications, and information technology, sent a demi-official (DO) letter to the ACC on 22 June urging the release of the funds. He cited the "larger interests of the country," warning that delays could hinder Bangladesh’s 5G readiness, set BTCL back technologically, and negatively impact Annual Development Programme (ADP) targets.
The letter also mentioned plans to commission already-installed equipment through another BTCL project. Taiyeb, however, stressed that an expert committee should first examine whether the equipment is suitable for 5G use and can provide reliable service for at least 12 years.
The 5G Readiness Project, estimated at Tk 3.26 billion, has been mired in controversy from the start. Internal conflicts and alleged interference between the former posts and telecommunications minister and the former secretary marred the contractor selection process.
Initially, the former minister recommended scrapping the tender and inviting fresh bids. But the secretary bypassed this, hurriedly convening a BTCL board meeting with only a day’s notice. The financial evaluation was completed and a work order was awarded to Chinese telecom giant Huawei on the same day — a move that many saw as a clear violation of standard procedures.
Following mass protests last July, the interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus formed an inquiry committee headed by an additional secretary to investigate the project. The committee submitted its report in December 2024, confirming irregularities and unethical interference involving the former minister, several BTCL officials, and two foreign companies.
Despite these findings, the report has been kept under wraps by key officials within the Posts and Telecommunications Division, with no visible action taken against those implicated.
A former senior BTCL official, speaking on condition of anonymity, cited a Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) study indicating that Bangladesh's data usage could reach a maximum of 26 terabytes over the next decade if 5G is introduced.
"Given the rapid pace of technological evolution, new infrastructure projects are designed with a five-year technology lifespan in mind. But the BTCL 5G Readiness Project was planned with an assumed capacity of 126 terabytes and 12 years of maintenance, which is technically unreasonable," the official explained.
Additionally, recent government approvals allowing mobile operators to procure their own DWDM equipment have further reduced the relevance of BTCL’s 5G project, raising concerns that even if revived, it may ultimately prove redundant.
