Foreign manpower in cell phone cos to be under scanner

The government is set to launch an investigation into how many foreigners are working in mobile phone companies to verify presence of illegal personnel on jobs in the companies, sources said.

The government is taking the initiative on the basis of allegations that some foreigners are working in the telecom companies without proper permission. As a result, the government is being deprived of income tax.

Secretary to the ministry of telecommunication and information technology Abubakar Siddique told the media that the ministry would scrutinise  foreign manpower of all mobile phone operators, not any specific company.

Mobile phone operators can recruit foreign manpower in highly technical fields in their companies, but recently a leading operator recruited two top officials without any permission from the government. They are even working there holding tourist visas.

Of six mobile phone operators, five are multinational companies which are GrameenPhone, Banglalink, Robi, Airtel and Citycell.

Telecom regulator sources said it is not its duty to check unauthorised employment in the mobile companies. The Board of Investment (BoI), the Foreign Ministry and the Home Ministry are responsible for looking into the issue.

As per rule, foreigners must take prior permission of the BoI for employment in the country. But it was alleged that the two senior officials of the company did not follow the rule, sources said.

According to the law, persons with incomes above 0.4 million have to pay 20 per cent of their total earnings as income tax.