A spin-off from an IT retail firm, ADN evolved into a leading provider of systems integration, connectivity and telecom licensing. In this interview, Founder and Chairman Asif Mahmood casts the firm as an early telecom mover in local digital development. 

Q: When did you start the business, how did it evolve into ADN Telecom in 2003, and what were the key strategic decisions that shaped its vision over time? 

Asif Mahmood, Founder and Chairman: ADN Telecom was founded in 2003, but our business started in 1990 when information technology in Bangladesh was in a very nascent state, and we operated essentially as a computer shop. 

We became a partner of Wang, a United States-based company, around mini-computers and mainframe concepts. As distributed computing and networking expanded, we moved into systems integration by building large networks as Bangladesh evolved toward being information technology-centric across government and the broader economy. 

In the late 1990s, the Internet created a paradigm shift from automation and computerisation to connectivity. Early Internet access was expensive and slow, used mainly for basic browsing, for example, via Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape. But the world expanded on Internet connectivity, and countries needed connectivity to benefit from globalisation, which I call the “connectivity dividend.” 

Submarine cables were laid globally, and after 10 years in business, I observed that by 2000 Bangladesh depended only on satellite connectivity, controlled largely by the government. This made international voice extremely expensive, around 100 taka per minute, roughly one dollar per minute, and in some cases two dollars per minute. 

In 2000, Bangladesh liberalised the sector so the private sector could distribute Internet access. ISPs were created, and we entered telecommunications and connectivity by selling satellite bandwidth through VSAT because Bangladesh did not yet have submarine cable access and did not join SEA-ME-WE 3. 

The government later signed onto SEA-ME-WE 4, and by 2006 we decided that beyond systems integration, we should participate fully in telecommunications liberalisation to contribute to the country and the economy. 

We entered the telecom market and obtained licenses including an ISP license, connectivity licenses and satellite licenses. The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) was established in 2001 as an independent licensing commission, and we were an early entrant, receiving one of the earliest licenses, BTRC license 001, Singtel VSAT, as I remember).

As global Internet connectivity grew, data centres and additional submarine cables expanded. The government signed SEA-ME-WE 5 and later began opening submarine cable participation further, recognising the need for more cables, more data centres and greater investment to realise the connectivity dividend. 

Compared with countries with many cables like India and Singapore, Bangladesh still has relatively limited submarine cable participation, and we advocate that the government open up and restructure telecom guidelines to attract foreign investment and build the surrounding ecosystem.

With greater international connectivity and more data centres, Bangladesh could become a destination due to low-cost land, low-cost energy and a large population. Once data centres expand, cloud business can flourish globally because cloud usage is location-agnostic from the user perspective. 

Artificial intelligence is now taking a different leap and requires significant data centre capacity, processing, connectivity and cross-border bandwidth. The government is preparing to take advantage of new technology, and as a telecom company we expect to grow as well.

Q: How do you manage ADN Telecom’s reputation, and how would you like the company to be perceived by United Arab Emirates investors and potential operating partners? 

AM: We became a listed company around 2019, so we operate with a board structure, and we hire top local and international talent. Our expansion policy is driven by telecom experts in management, and the board includes independent directors and industry veterans. We also consider environmental factors by interacting with the government and telecom stakeholders to decide direction. 

United Arab Emirates investors in particular can invest through the stock market or discuss other options with us, and being listed increases transparency. 

Q: Given your nationwide footprint and alliances, including Orange, BT Group and Singtel, what is your current market position and what are your key competitive advantages? 

AM: We evolved from systems integration to domestic connectivity and then international connectivity. We have also invested in voice services through IGW. 

Historically, the licensing regime required separate licenses across multiple layers for different services, and we built capabilities across many layers, including IGW, ICX and IIG. Our group is also entering submarine cable indirectly; if everything goes well, ADN Telecom will also bring in submarine cables. 

Our advantage is our long presence in Bangladesh, our physical footprint across the country and internationally our position as a proven, trusted partner of major global telecommunications companies.

Q: What are the primary drivers of your recent revenue growth, and how will you sustain this momentum? 

AM: Our total revenue, including all subsidiaries of ADN Telecom, is around 25 million USD. 

Doing things right is the essence: we have a strong team, with many people who have been with us for 15 to 20 years, and I consider our “ADN DNA” to be our people and the ADN family. 

 We do extensive brainstorming and collaboration, and our decision-making is collaborative, supported by experience and dedication. Implementation is also critical because plans and planning do not matter unless they are implemented, and we have been successful through teamwork. 

Q: How do the Telecommunications Network and Licensing Policy 2025 reforms create commercially viable opportunities for United Arab Emirates investors across connectivity and digital services? 

AM: The new licensing approach is timely because in the mid-2000s the country faced severe illegal VoIP (voice smuggling) driven by high, government-controlled voice rates, and the government was losing significant revenue. 

At that time, technology and surveillance were not as developed, so the government created multiple licensing layers as checks and balances, such as separating functions across entities, with ICX in between and IGW breaking out voice, to help measure and curb illegal activity. Today, technology, surveillance, IP-based systems and equipment have advanced significantly, and many layers are no longer necessary because the objective should be customer outcomes, and a simpler structure can achieve that. 

However, eliminating layers should be handled carefully because existing license holders invested and helped curb illegality when the risk was high. Discontinuing them abruptly would require better planning. 

A practical approach could be for the government to compensate operators and buy back licenses, similar to how land acquisition is compensated for national projects, especially since the government earned multi-billion dollars from voice businesses over time. 

Voice usage patterns have also changed, with many people using Internet-based communication such as WhatsApp for international calls, meaning revenue has shifted from traditional voice to Internet access. Therefore, buying back licenses with compensation and moving to a new regime could be an effective transition, and the industry needs a new licensing regime as proposed. 

Q: What is ADN Telecom’s work with Telesat Lightspeed low Earth orbit satellites, and how does it contribute to nationwide connectivity and Bangladesh’s innovation landscape? 

AM: Three to four years ago, we anticipated the rise of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communication; Starlink is a LEO service, and although few people in our region knew it then, it is now widely known in Bangladesh. 

For a country of about 180 million people with many islands and dispersed connectivity needs, LEO will naturally have a role, and the market size is large, with major investments by companies such as Starlink and Telesat. OneWeb is another initiative, and overall, the satellite sector, which had been declining under traditional geostationary models, has been revitalised by LEO. 

LEO provides a strong alternative for connectivity and communication, so we decided to partner with the right player. Starlink leads in the consumer segment, while ADN is predominantly enterprise-focused, so we believed Telesat was the better fit because it aims to be a “carrier’s carrier,” supporting mobile network operators by connecting mobile sites and supporting enterprises with large-capacity links. 

We discussed becoming Telesat’s local partner, but initially there was no licensing regime. Under the current government, LEO satellite licensing was introduced, enabling progress. Telesat is launching satellites, and commercial service is expected to start in 2027. We are currently conducting demonstrations at Point Allen, including gateway-related work. 

Q: With Bangladesh’s projected GDP growth rising toward 2027, why is now the right time for investors to invest in Bangladesh? 

AM: Investment is like planting a seed: it takes time for the tree to grow and produce fruit, and you can either invest early by planting now or arrive later to buy the fruit. 

I believe growth will be higher than what the numbers indicate because Bangladesh is resilient and has already begun recovering from downtrends within a year, supported by better financial-sector decisions. Foreign reserves have started growing, and this is the right time to enter early because early entrants benefit more. 

Q: How have your prior ventures, including CF, ADN Technology, TechValley Networks and Ingen, shaped your leadership style? 

AM: TechValley was the first company focused on information technology systems. 

Ingen is focused on renewable energy, electric vehicles and newer technologies, and we pursue these startup initiatives to experiment with and introduce emerging technologies earlier than others. 

Personally, I feel content, and I aim to contribute in a way that makes people happy, including the community and family, and I want people in the company to be happy, contribute and maximise their potential. That is the leadership approach I adopt.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add that we did not cover? 

AM: I would like to acknowledge the Gulf as a wealthy region whose sovereign funds and other mechanisms have contributed significantly to Bangladesh’s economy. The Gulf has consistently contributed through generating employment for Bangladeshi workers and through remittances, which provide Bangladesh an edge among similar countries. 

This relationship began in the 1970s when Bangladesh started sending manpower to the Middle East, and the Gulf continues to contribute. Now, given what Bangladesh has become, Gulf investors can also reap benefits by investing in Bangladesh and making money together.