High spectrum prices could make some frequency bands commercially difficult for mobile operators to acquire, raising the risk that valuable spectrum remains unused.
Analysts say this could limit the benefits of opening up new bands for network expansion and future technologies.
The debate comes as Bangladesh reviews spectrum pricing and renewal terms ahead of a major renewal round in November.
Analysts warn that pricing spectrum beyond the market’s capacity to absorb it could leave valuable bands such as 1500MHz, 3500MHz and millimetre-wave frequencies unused.
Faiz Ahmed Taiyeb, former ICT adviser to the interim government, said allocation policies should prioritise service coverage over short-term revenue.
“If bands with lower market demand remain unused for a long time, allocating them at a reasonable price can be more beneficial,” he said.
The GSMA’s research similarly finds that spectrum pricing and assignment mechanisms can affect operators’ ability to invest in network coverage and quality.
Its Bangladesh study says aligning spectrum costs more closely with regional benchmarks could improve network investment viability and accelerate 5G deployment.
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