State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Junaid Ahmed Palak said, ‘Digitization is the life line of Bangladesh’s progress. In continuation of this, the telecommunication and information technology sector is an essential aspect of private and public life.
He said these things in his speech as the chief guest at a round table meeting on ‘Telecom Taxation for Smart Bangladesh’ at a seminar on Sunday (April 7).
The state minister said, ‘This sector’s contribution to national progress is immense. To accelerate the construction of Smart Bangladesh, the potential of the country’s telecommunication sector should be fully utilized. There is no alternative but for the Government and the stakeholders in the telecommunication sector to take a productive role in joint initiatives to ensure the sustainable progress of the telecommunication sector.’
According to the government’s plans in the upcoming national budget, ICT sector taxation, expansion of smartphone and internet use, improvement of service quality and investment-friendly network expansion deserve to be looked at seriously, said the state minister. He said, ‘Tax reform in the ICT sector is an essential policy reform that will increase the scope of GDP growth and employment in Bangladesh. In 2006, the cost of internet per Mbps in the country was 85 thousand taka. We have fixed the price of 1 Mbps internet in the country only at 60 rupees. In 2008, 7.5 Gbps internet was used in the country, with 7.5 lakh users. Currently 5 thousand Gbps is being used. 13 crore customers are using it.
The state minister mentioned that 45 thousand mobile BTS have been installed in the country and 98 percent of the country’s area has come under the 4G network.
Junaid Ahmed Palak said, ‘The more the use of internet increases, the more it will affect the national growth. We have to give more importance to the development of the telecommunication sector so that it is not hindered.’
At the seminar, Grameenphone CEO Yasir Azman highlighted the contribution of the telecommunication sector to the national revenue collection and said, ‘Since its establishment, Grameenphone has paid 1 lakh 15 thousand crores of revenue to the government.’ He emphasized on the need to introduce smart tax system for the development of the telecommunication sector and sought the cooperation of the Minister of State for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology in this regard.
Mohammad Zulfikar, Secretary General of Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (MTB) presented the keynote speech at the event. In the seminar, the Chairman of BTRC Engineer Md. Mohiuddin Ahmed, Chairman and CEO of Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited. Shahjahan Mahmud, MTOB President and Acting CEO of Banglalink Taimur Rahman, Chip Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer of Robi Aziatar Mohammad Shahedul Alam, Executive Director of FICCI TIM Nurul Kabir and Technology Expert Sumon Ahmed Sabbir and others.
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