The 24th Annual Conference of the South Asian Telecommunication Regulatory Council (SATRC) started on Tuesday at La Méridien in Dhaka with the participation of 9 SAARC countries with the aim of ensuring sustainable growth in the telecom sector and its positive social impact in multilateral partnerships. The conference was inaugurated by the Speaker of the National Parliament. Shirin Sharmin Chawdhury. In her opening speech, she urged all the institutions of this sector to come under one umbrella to ensure sustainable development and social growth of the telecom sector.
She said, this conference will provide an opportunity to exchange experience to meet the challenges of development of a wide sector like telecom. To overcome the digital divide, Bangladesh has brought education-health-business facilities to the doorstep of the people by providing broadband internet connection to the grassroots. For this, 9 action plans have been prepared. SATRC will implement best practices in telecommunications among partner countries to create a business-friendly environment. By sharing opportunities, digital connectivity will contribute to inclusive and equitable development for the future.
Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar was present as a special guest in the event. He said that the conference will play a great role in the development transformation of Bangladesh. Digital connectivity is the most important of the achievements we want for Smart Bangladesh. In 2008, there were 4 crore mobile users. There were 7.5 million internet users. But now it is 13 crores. 98 percent area of the country is connected to 4G. Now we are fully ready for 5G. BTRC has set a precedent by masterfully integrating digital connectivity. I hope, we will create a digital backbone through digital connectivity as well as transform the rest into a smart Bangladesh. As we will take the experience of South Asian countries in socio-economic development, others will also take our experience. Because Bangladesh has already set an example in the world.
Ali Reza Pahlavi, the Chairman of the Telecommunication Regulatory Agency of Iran presided over the. While speaking as an honored guest, the Posts and Telecommunications Secretary Abu Hena Morshed Zaman expressed hope that Telecom will play the role of a catalyst to overcome digital inequality,
Masanori Kondo, Secretary General of Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT), delivered the welcome speech. In his welcome speech, the newly appointed chairman of SATRCA, BTRC Chairman Shyam Sundar Sikdar said that two working committees have been formed to adopt a regional action plan for the formulation and implementation of sustainable and innovative telecommunication policies in one and a half years. This committee has already exchanged regional knowledge and experience. A three-day program has been arranged based on that. As a result, the council meeting is expected to be very productive.