মোবাইল ডাটা প্যাকেজে বাংলাদেশ সরকারের নতুন নিয়ম

Here is a good news for internet lovers. The government in Bangladesh has reintroduced short-term mobile data packages that were earlier removed. The idea is to encourage more people to use the internet and give customers more choices. Earlier, the restrictions on mobile data usage made it challenging for people to afford internet plans.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission – BTRC has also removed the restrictions on the number of packages or how much data each package offers. For example, BRTC has come up now with per-hour, one-day, and two-day packages.

For the unversed, in October 2023, three-day and 15-day data packages were stopped, which led to young people, rural users, and low-income groups limiting their use of internet and telecom services. The move was introduced at that time to avoid confusion in choosing from multiple packages among customers. However, soon experts realized that this assumption may not apply to the younger generation.

Now, mobile operators can provide unlimited options for data, validity, and product features with some limits such as 200MB for per-hour, 3GB for one-day, 5GB for two-day, and 8GB for three-day plans. The new directive mentions that operators must allow users to carry forward their unused mobile data (both main and bonus) and also, they cannot offer packages between 12 AM and 6 AM.

The mobile operators are also restricted from providing gifts to retailers and they cannot send more than three promotional SMS per day.

For the unversed, earlier there were only three unlimited mobile data plans such as 25GB, 50GB, and 75 GB. However, now mobile operators can create new unlimited plans but with time restrictions. They can also provide both telecom and approved non-telecom products for loyalty point redemption.

Some telecom policy experts have pointed out the inconsistent policy decisions and increasing internet taxes that reduce usage. However, some mobile operators such as Banglalink, Grameenphone, and Robi have appreciated the new rules noting how it will promote digital inclusion in Bangladesh.