GP AGM tomorrow

Continued from page 9 27,000 shareholders will get money through GP distribution centres and courier service between April 21 to April 26, the officials said. Unlike the government GP has a vision to provide with communication services to people at a lower cost in a bid to digitization process of the country, said Mr Shamsi. "We want to improve the quality of life of people through digitization process. Bangladesh now has 6.0 million internet users of which 94 per cent use it through mobile phones which shows people now depend on technology for improving their lifestyle," he added. The company targets to expand its internet services to rural areas through its more than 500 community information centre (CIC) so that poor people in backward areas get access to health, education, agriculture and other services, Mr Shamsi said. Commenting on the amendments in Bangladesh Telecommunication Act 2010 (BTA), he said it has posed threat to the development of telecom industry in the country. "The current telecom act is not business-friendly as the renewal fees are astronomically high. It also contains non-price but significant elements without adequate detailing like unified licensing, significant market power, mobile virtual network operator adding mostly to prevailing uncertainty," Mr Raihan Shamsi said. He also said as there is no option for independent tribunal for the operators or any independent person in the review panel, it has increased the chance of being deprived of justice, adding "it will hamper foreign investment inflow in telecom sector of the country." Towards the end of 2010, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) proposed a regulatory framework to post and telecommunications ministry without alleged consultation with the mobile phone operators. Mr Shamsi said the proposed renewal fees of US$ 1.6 billion are very high that is to be recovered from four renewing operators. Also the government has not reduced the SIM tax in 2010 which has made it difficult to deliver services to rural areas. Mr Shamsi hopes the government will show its farsightedness like it was in 1996 in issuing telecom license in a bid to curb monopoly telecom business which contributed to the outstanding progress of the sector within a short time.