From now on, telecom operators will send all promotional and system-generated text messages and notifications in Bangla.

Telecom Minister Mustafa Jabbar today launched the service at an event at the conference room of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

This feature will be beneficial for a vast number of people, since more than 65 per cent of mobile users in Bangladesh still use feature phones, not smartphones, and many have a hard time reading English texts.

"We are doing it to help customers understand SMS easily," the minister said. "We are also doing it to commemorate the Language Movement martyrs."

However, there will be an option for foreign or local customers if they want to get their SMS in English exclusively.

BTRC Chairman Shyam Sunder Sikder, Post and Telecommunications Division Secretary Md Khalilur Rahman, Grameenphone Chief Executive Officer Yasir Azman, Robi acting CEO M Riyaaz Rasheed, and Banglalink Chief Corporate Regulatory Officer Taimur Rahman also spoke.