23 April 2026
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'We won’t be silenced by intimidation'

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Banglapress Published: 23 September 2025, 10:25 AM
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'We won’t be silenced by intimidation'
   Bangla Press Desk:  Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant on Posts, Telecommunications, and ICT Affairs to the Chief Adviser, stated that he has come under fire from telecom mafias for promoting cost efficiency, inter-project coordination, and rational technical capacity-building within government institutions. “I’m in the grip of a criminal syndicate,” he said. “This is how mafia networks operate—when you remain honest and threaten their vested interests, all the hyenas will close in.” In a recent interview with Bengali daily 'Bangladesh Pratidin', he declared, “I will not back down. No threat will silence me. Since I have not engaged in corruption, violated procedure, or stolen public funds—I have no fear.” Taiyeb continued, “I have fought against fascist Hasina. I will bury the mafia syndicates in the telecom and ICT sectors. The fight will go on—with high moral ground.” He also addressed recent procurement allegations involving BTCL’s “Optical Fibre Transmission Network Expansion” project, aimed at 5G readiness. “This project was initiated and tendered under the previous government. The tender process was influenced during their time, and a Letter of Credit (LC) worth Tk2.9 billion had already been paid before I or Nahid Islam took office. Taking these facts into account, I personally visited the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) chairman. I told him, ‘Sir, since the money is already gone, the bidder (Huawei) was the lowest, and BUET has cleared the misinformation around capacity, we will form a committee to ensure the equipment is verified before delivery.’”
He added, “There’s been a deliberate misrepresentation targeting me, my ministry, and our government. Neither I nor any current officials in our ministry are involved in corruption. Every action in this project was taken during the last administration. We’ve only exchanged correspondence and sought the ACC chairman’s cooperation—nothing more.” The Special Assistant further clarified that no case has been filed regarding the project, except for ACC observations. “If the project is halted or the LC not opened, we stand to lose Tk6 billion—Tk3 billion twice. Worse, BTCL could become too weak to survive in the market.” Since taking office, Taiyeb has initiated several reforms in the telecom sector. “After the fall of the Awami League government, we began overhauling the BTRC licensing framework to eliminate corruption and fascist collusion. Seven months after regime change, the BTRC dismantled the IOF cartel. This model doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world. Because of this cartel, the government lost over Tk80 billion in revenue over 12 years.” “BTRC and the Department of Telecommunications are now working on a new-generation telecom licensing policy,” he said. “Since then, I’ve faced attacks from some media outlets and communication mafias with vested interests.”
When asked whether the monopoly on fibre infrastructure would end, Taiyeb responded: “In 2010, mobile operators were banned from laying their own optical fibre networks. Instead, licences were granted exclusively—and biasedly—to two companies, creating a dual monopoly over the nation’s core internet infrastructure. The new policy, if approved, will end that monopoly. Under the Tk21 billion ‘Info Sarkar-3’ project, national fibre rollout was effectively privatised with help from the Awami League. Much of this infrastructure was monopolised by just two individuals. Even field-level training and implementation were riddled with irregularities.” When asked if these reforms were truly in the public interest, Taiyeb said, “It’s astonishing how many people are opposing these changes, unknowingly aligning themselves with Awami League beneficiaries who siphoned off billions and blocked Bangladesh’s path to a true digital economy. They seem misinformed or manipulated.” “To ensure affordable mobile internet and a competitive digital ecosystem,” he stressed, “Bangladesh must urgently reform its licensing structure. Redundant and exploitative licensing layers like ICX, IGW, IIG, and IOF must be abolished. These entities create unnecessary costs that burden consumers. The country must shift from telecom connectivity to digital service-based transformation. Internet should be cheaper, national fibre must be open access. Real reform demands political courage, regulatory transparency, and a commitment to national interest. The interim government is moving toward freeing the telecom sector from the grip of Awami-aligned vested interests.” Regarding future plans, he said, “As you know, in the ICT sector we’ve scrapped unjustified projects worth nearly Tk25 billion. In the new budget, we’ve proposed no new ICT projects. I told the Chief Adviser in the ECNEC meeting that since corruption was rampant—there are about 20 projects in ICT and 6 in Posts and Telecom—we need to optimise them first. I want to bring discipline. Once that’s achieved, only then will we propose new projects.” This article was originally published on Daily Sun.
Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.
  B P/SP
[Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.]

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