Bangladesh is shifting its telecommunications priorities from expanding basic mobile connections toward improving network quality and preparing spectrum policy for 5G, future 6G systems, satellite communications and other emerging wireless technologies.
The transition was highlighted at the 37th meeting of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Wireless Group (AWG-37), hosted by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission in Dhaka.
The five-day meeting, running through September 11 at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel, brings together regulators, policymakers, industry representatives and technical experts from across the Asia-Pacific to discuss future wireless networks and spectrum management.
Bangladesh shifts focus toward meaningful connectivity
Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam said Bangladesh's next telecommunications challenge is no longer simply increasing the number of connections.
Instead, the focus is shifting toward the quality, affordability and reliability of services and ensuring that connectivity delivers practical benefits for citizens and the economy.
“Digital connectivity should create opportunities for citizens, support economic activity and ensure that people can benefit from technology,” he said.
Bangladesh had around 190 million mobile connections as of July 2026, while more than 108 million subscribers were using 4G services, according to figures cited during the meeting.
The country's telecommunications infrastructure includes more than 49,000 4G sites, 46,000 towers and approximately 173,000 kilometres of optical fibre.
These figures illustrate the scale already achieved by the country's mobile industry, but the government's emphasis is increasingly moving toward how efficiently that infrastructure can support rising data consumption and more advanced services.
Spectrum becomes central to next phase of telecom development
Spectrum management is emerging as a central issue as Bangladesh considers the requirements of 5G, satellite connectivity, the Internet of Things and future wireless technologies.
The government is also seeking to strengthen domestic capabilities across artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, software, hardware and other technology-driven industries.
The convergence of these technologies means future spectrum planning will have to accommodate a broader range of networks and devices than conventional mobile broadband alone.
AWG-37 provides Bangladesh with an opportunity to participate directly in regional technical discussions that could influence how spectrum is planned, shared and coordinated as next-generation technologies develop.
6G and AI move onto regional agenda
Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Secretary-General Masanori Kondo said AWG-37 would advance existing technical studies while considering proposals for new work areas responding to changing technology and regional requirements.
Dedicated workshops are examining AI for 6G, satellite technologies and Ultra-Wideband systems.
APT Wireless Group Chairman Daejung Kim said wireless communications are undergoing a significant transformation driven by IMT-2030 and future 6G systems, artificial intelligence, expanding satellite communications and increasing demand for spectrum.
He also stressed the need for regional cooperation, with emerging wireless challenges increasingly requiring coordination between countries, regulators and industry participants.
IMT-2030 is particularly important to these discussions because it provides the broader international framework around which future 6G capabilities and technical requirements are being developed.
Satellite and LEO connectivity feature in discussions
Satellite communications are another major component of the AWG-37 agenda.
The meeting's 52 sessions, including two plenary meetings, cover topics including 5G expansion, future IMT and 6G systems, spectrum planning and sharing, satellite communications, low-Earth-orbit satellite systems and railway wireless networks.
Regional technical experiences will also be discussed.
For Bangladesh, incorporating satellite technologies into long-term spectrum planning could broaden the range of connectivity options available alongside terrestrial mobile and fibre networks.
The discussions come as regulators across the region increasingly have to consider how terrestrial and non-terrestrial communications systems will coexist within future connectivity environments.
Nearly 400 participants join Dhaka meeting
AWG-37 is drawing 395 participants from Asia-Pacific Telecommunity member countries, including 168 attending physically and 227 participating virtually.
BTRC Chairman Major General Md Emdad Ul Bari (retired) said hosting the event would allow Bangladesh to participate more actively in international technical discussions around wireless communications and spectrum management.
It also provides opportunities for exchanges between regulators, telecommunications companies, academic institutions and international technical experts.
Ahead of AWG-37, an APT Frequency Information System training programme was held in Dhaka on September 5 and 6. The programme focused on coordinated frequency information management and updating data submitted by member countries.
