A 9-member committee formed to make draft telecom act citizen centric and business friendly
A stakeholder committee of 9 members is being formed to finalize the draft of the new telecommunication act. This committee is being formed with the Telecom Reporters Network Bangladesh (TRNB), Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB), Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB), Mobile Phone Industry Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (MIOB) and academics along with representatives of the sector including citizen representatives. State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak has directed the formation of this committee on Wednesday to make the draft of the Telecommunication Act, 2024 business friendly and citizen-centric.
He gave this instruction in the round table discussion titled 'Enabling Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041: Reform of the Telecom Act and Way Forward' held at the BCC conference room of ICT Tower on Wednesday.
While speaking as the chief guest, State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak said that telecom has made an outstanding contribution to today's development. We believe that the revised Telecom Act will be timely, liberal, future-oriented business-friendly and citizen-friendly through the best practices of the best laws in the world. That is why there is no disagreement in the proposal that has come today regarding this law.
In his speech, he tasked TRNB president Rashed Mehdi to form a committee of 9 members for the necessary amendments, including the abolition of capital punishment for minor offences, non-bailable punishment of the head of the institution. The State Minister said that the committee will take into consideration the concerns of the entrepreneurs of the non-business sector and the loss in the way of providing citizen services and the committee will work on the necessary amendments to the law prepared by the BTRC and finalized after discussing the draft in the ministry.
He said, I also agree with the objections raised in sub-section 3 of section 7 and section 26 e of the Act. Apart from giving them freedom to provide one-stop service of BTRC, we also have to see that no complications are created by the interference of their ministry. However, I do not want to change anything new if not necessary with the amendments of 2001 and 2010.
Palak also said that today's meeting is about how our new telecommunication act will help in the implementation of Smart Bangladesh. There is an open discussion about the law here. With the limited human resources of BTRC and Telecom Division, it is difficult to maintain our 13-crore internet, 19 crore SIM card and 12 crore MFS users, 50 thousand towers spread across the country and ensure customer service; Regulatory framework and policy formulation is required for that.
He also said that the government of Bangabandhu's daughter honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has always considered the private sector as a supporter of the government and the role of the private sector in the revolutionary development of Bangladesh including the successful implementation of the Digital Bangladesh vision in the past 15 years is unparalleled. We will also work together with the government, academia and private sector to build a rich knowledge-based economy in Bangladesh through the implementation of the future smart Bangladesh vision. Therefore, as your representative, we will reconsider your suggested amendments and additions. Currently we are using cutting edge technologies like fifth generation network technology, IoT, AR and VR. To address this revolution in technology, we need to formulate a timely and forward-looking Telecom Act to build our capacity, attract foreign investment and create a business environment for entrepreneurs. Which will play a helpful role in creating quality customer service, citizen centric telecom sector and new business areas.
'How a regulatory commission will handle the future-oriented technologies of the fourth industrial revolution, how mobile operators will create positive use cases, how business growth will happen, if those issues are not clearly outlined in laws, rules or policies, then foreign investment will not be encouraged, as well as domestic entrepreneurs will not dare or risk' – added Palak.
BTRC Chairman Engineer Mohiuddin Ahmed, AMTOB President Yasir Azman, BTRC Vice Chairman Md. Aminul Haque and Mobile Operator Robi Axiata Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer Shahed Alam, Teletalk Managing Director Nurul Mabud Chowdhury (Additional Charge), Banglalink Digital Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer Taimur Rahman, Grameenphone Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Hans Martin Henrikson, AMTOB Secretary General Lt. Colonel Mohammad Zulfikar (Retd.), Mobile Phone Industry Owners Association President Zakaria Shahid, Internet Service Providers Association President Imdadul Haque, BRAC University Professor Saimum Reza Talukder and others were present in this meeting.
