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The chief adviser’s special assistant on posts, telecommunications, and information technology Faiz Ahmad Tayyab defended his recent letter to the Anti-Corruption Commission chairman, seeking assistance to keep a telecom project running.

His clarification came at a press briefing held at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital in which he responded to a recent media report that claimed that he had issued a demi-official letter in an attempt to stop an ACC probe.

Facing criticism over the letter, he clarified that his office did not issue any instruction and only requested the ACC chairman’s cooperation, warning that failure to continue the project could result in the loss of Tk 600 crore.

Tayyab also said that neither he nor anyone currently serving in his ministry was involved in any form of corruption.

Recently, Tayyab sent a letter to ACC chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen regarding the procurement process of the BTCL project ‘Development of optical fiber transmission network for 5G readiness,’ initiated in 2022 during the ousted Awami League regime.

The letter, while bringing allegations regarding the project’s procurement process, emphasised the national importance of continuing the project to overcome BTCL’s technological and market lag, ensure proper implementation of the Annual Development Programme, and activate equipment already installed through a related BTCL project. The letter requested the ACC Chairman’s cooperation in continuing the project.

Addressing the controversy, Tayyab alleged that certain vested quarters were trying to force BTCL out of the telecom market.

He explained that BTCL’s existing capacity allowed for only 1 Gbps at the district level, which was inadequate for quality internet services.

‘If BTCL fails to upgrade its network to meet current demand, it could soon be pushed out of the market,’ he warned adding that ‘While competitors are modernising their networks, BTCL’s work has been stalled by various complications, hindering the expansion of its fibre network.’

Tayyab further elaborated that two major components are involved in the main BTCL project: the IP network and the fibre DWDM network. ‘Although 70–80 per cent of the IP network work has been completed, approximately Tk 300 crore worth of installed servers remain unused because they require connections through the DWDM network,’ he said.

He argued that since the funds had already been spent, the work should be allowed to continue and a committee should be formed to ensure the promised equipment was delivered as per specifications.

He said, ‘An attempt has been made in the media to malign me, my ministry and our government by misrepresenting the facts. I strongly condemn this.’

Tayyab also said that currently there was no ACC case filed against the project, noting that if the required Letters of Credit were not opened and the work was not completed, the likely outcomes would be a combined loss of Tk 600 crore, potentially driving out BTCL from the market due to weakened capacity.

He also said that the government was formulating a new telecom policy to dismantle the syndicate of ‘autocrats and mafias’ that had long gripped the internet and telecom sector.

‘There are licensing systems in Bangladesh that do not exist anywhere else in the world. By exploiting these, syndicates and mafias have looted hundreds of crores of taka from the sector,’ he alleged.

Tayyab also claimed that some companies obtained licences by investing only Tk 5–10 crore but made up to Tk 400 crore annually.

Over the past 15 years, the previous government issued licences to more than 3,400 such entities, he said, adding, ‘the government only receives about 50 per cent of the revenue, while the rest has been embezzled. The new telecom licensing policy aims to end this looting.’