Inu suggests free internet for students

Hasanul Haq Inu, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the posts and telecom ministry, yesterday urged the telecom minister to provide free internet to students.
If a person holds a mobile phone and internet connectivity, that individual becomes a liberal person who can work to change the world, he said.
Inu spoke at a seminar on three years of grand alliance: implementation of the dream of digital Bangladesh and information technology revolution.
The seminar was organised by Bangladesh Awami League at the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh Bhaban in Dhaka.
Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, telecom minister, said it is not possible for the government to implement the digital Bangladesh dream alone, because everyone will have to come forward and work together to realise the national vision.
The country will be able to implement Digital Bangladesh before completing its target time of 2021 as the country has already developed a lot towards attainment of the goal.
“We have made the 'start', now it's the youths' responsibility to take it ahead,” the minister said.
Zia Ahmed, chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, said: “Prices are rising in all sectors but we are only reducing the prices of mobile call and internet bandwidth.”
More than 15 lakh people are employed in the telecom sector, he said.
Mustafa Jabbar, president of Bangladesh Computer Samiti, presented a comparative picture of the telecom and ICT sector between 2008 and the recent time.
In 2008, 1.80 lakh personal computers and 42,000 laptops were sold, but 6 lakh computers and 5 lakh laptops were sold last year, he said. In 2008, 20 lakh internet users used 8 gigabits bandwidth while currently 3.11 crore users use 22.5 gigabits bandwidth.
There should be a co-ordination between the ICT-related government institutions such as the telecom ministry, ICT ministry and Access to Information Programme, said Mahboob Zaman, president of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services.