Monopoly of foreign companies in telecommunications
On May 28, 15 civil society organizations led by EquityBD organized a rally in front of National Press Club, expressing concern over the monopoly of foreign companies in the telecommunication sector. They urged the Finance Minister to announce special allocation for the public company TeleTalk. The 15 organizations included Arpon, On line Knowldege Centre, Aeso, SDO, MABS, Lead Trust, Prodip, Protikrit, BNNRC, Voice, Bangladesh Bhumihin Samity, Bangladesh Krishok Federation, Manoush Manusher Jonnyo, Sirac Bangladesh and ACI.
Speakers said that telecommunications was now a basic human right and not a luxury anymore. It is also related to state sovereignty and security.
Mostafa Kamal Akanda of EquityBD was moderator of the programme. Addressing the programme were Rafiqul Islam Pothik of Protikrit, Zahidul Alam of BNNRC, SM Saikat of Sirac Bangladesh, Feroze Ahmed of Lead Trust, Subal Sarkar of Bangladesh Bhumihin Samity, Badrul Alam of Bangladesh Krishok Federation, Shipra Rani Das of Bangladesh Kishani Shobha, Sayeed Aminul Haque and Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD.
They said that the monopoly of foreign companies in the telecommunication sector has four major problems. (i) A large section of the population is now a days dependent on foreign companies for such services. If they stop services due to any differences with the government, this will have a devastating effect. (ii) The profit bills which have to be send to their country of origin is being paid in dollars. Such a repatriation is a threat to the dollar reserve of the country, while we have priority to purchase food and other necessary items from abroad with this reserve. (iii) It is also a threat to the state security while all information is passed through the server of these companies. (iv) The foreign companies have a tendency to intervene in our national policy decisions through their Ambassadors and especially through the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
Badrul Alam of Bangladesh Krishok Federation said foreign direct investment has done hardly any good for developing countries, so there is need for good competition for both public and private sector. Zahidul Alam of BNNRC said foreign companies look for profit, while we need to invest in our public companies which should look to minimize growing digital divide. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD said that the government announced massive plan for Digital Bangladesh in its Vision 2021, but if there is no state-sponsored infrastructure like Tele Talk mobile network, then the whole financial benefit will go to the foreign mobile companies. Speakers urged Finance Minister to announce a plan and allocation in budget 2011 -2012 to strengthen the public company TeleTalk in this regard.
http://www.probenewsmagazine.com/index.php?index=2&contentId=7190
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