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subscribers, giving it about 0.81 MHz per lakh users.

By comparison, Grameenphone has 137.4 MHz for 8.44 crore subscribers (0.16 MHz per lakh), Robi has 124 MHz for 5.74 crore users (0.22 MHz per lakh), and Banglalink has 80 MHz for 3.74 crore users (0.21 MHz per lakh).

Despite higher spectrum per subscriber, Teletalk’s voice and data service quality has been weaker than peers in BTRC quality tests over the years, and it has added only about 1 lakh subscribers in five years.

The operator has also not used 30 MHz in the 2300 MHz band acquired in the 2022 auction, despite rollout obligations, which is considered a breach of spectrum utilisation rules.

Teletalk’s total liabilities include Tk 120 crore in licence fees, Tk 102 crore in revenue sharing, Tk 5,506 crore in spectrum fees, and around Tk 62 crore in other charges.

EXPERT CRITICISM

“Private operators are required to follow strict rules, but public companies often do not face the same obligations, which creates a market imbalance,” said Khondaker Golam Moazzem, research director at the Centre for Policy Dialogue.

He added that large unpaid dues raise doubts about such firms’ ability to survive in a competitive market, noting they often rely on government support rather than efficiency.

TIM Nurul Kabir, a telecom expert, said, “Spectrum is a valuable resource and allocating it to an operator that cannot ensure good service or generate revenue is a poor regulatory decision.”

“The government needs a different approach to revive Teletalk rather than using up valuable resources. Such decisions are also anti-competitive,” he added.

Md Emdad ul Bari, chairman of BTRC, said the allocation was approved on the condition that spectrum charges would be converted into government equity. He said this would not cause revenue loss, as funds would shift between state entities as equity investments.