Bangladesh’s fuel cuts risk telecom blackouts, operators warn

Mobile operators in Bangladesh have asked the national telecom regulator to secure priority access to fuel and power for mobile towers and other network sites, warning that current austerity measures could trigger service outages. The government has tightened fuel and energy use in response to supply-chain disruption linked to the widening conflict between the US, Israel and Iran.

According to the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB), limits on diesel and electricity could leave backup generators idle and make it harder to keep networks running during power cuts. The group wants telecom infrastructure formally treated as essential so that voice and data services stay online if the fuel squeeze worsens.