Dhaka, Aug. 25 -- Bangladesh gears up for one of its most ambitious digital projects yet, which is meant for making things unthinkably faster. It is to create a national digital platform called Fibre Optic Bank. The innovation plan is simple but radical-pool thousands of kilometres of underused state-owned fibre cables into one centrally managed megastore of electronic powerhouse. The goal is slash internet costs, fast-track 5G services, and turn a dormant asset into a billion-taka revenue stream.

Chief Adviser of the interim government Muhammad Yunus, who is well-conversant in the magical workings of fibre-optic cables for his pioneering moves with GrameenPhone, has already given the go-ahead. The telecom and ICT divisions are now movin...