Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed directed the authorities concerned to formulate a national broadband policy with a view to expanding fast internet facilities across the country at an affordable cost, reports BSS.
He gave the directives at a high-level meeting on national broadband policy formulation in Bangladesh at his office Saturday afternoon.
Finance and Planning Adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam, Special Assistants to the CA Brig Gen (Retd) MA Malek and M Tamim attended the meeting.
The Governor of Bangladesh Bank, Secretary to the CAO, Secretaries concerned, BTRC Chairman, NBR Chairman and high officials were present.
Two power point presentations were made at the meeting depicting the existing internet facilities and its prospects in the country.
The presentations emphasised on integration of the institutions, departments and companies concerned with the IT components like Submarine Cable, Back Bone and Connection Network for raising access and penetration of broadband in the country.
It has fixed a target of raising broadband penetration to 30 per cent from the existing one per cent by the year 2015.
The CA asked the stakeholders to find out ways in light with the experiences of other countries for making computers and its connections cheaper to the consumers.
In this connection, Fakhruddin Ahmed directed the NBR and customs authorities to review VAT and import duties on computers so that their prices came down to the purchasing capacity of common consumers.
Besides, the CA directed the Bangladesh Bank to provide financial facilities to the internet service providers and other call centres to make the service available and be cheaper for the people.
Broadband is an 'umbrella term' having multiple meanings, which is now commonly used to represent fast speed data communication replacing conventional dial up technologies. In Bangladesh context, broadband may be defined as an 'always on' data or internet connection that ensures a minimum bandwidth of 128 kbps.
