Govt takes up Tk 4,900cr ICT projects

The government has undertaken projects worth Tk 4,900 crore as part of a move to establish a 'Digital Bangladesh', the post and telecommunications minister said yesterday.
“The main infrastructure -- national IP (internet protocol) backbone -- has already been finalised," Raziuddin Ahmed Raju told newsmen at the telecom ministry
The news conference came after his visit to Portugal to attend the Fourth World Telecommunications Policy Forum (WTPF) held on April 21-24.
The government will extend telecommunication and information services to the doorsteps of people in rural areas, the minister said. "ICT could help the country develop fast," he said.
A new era will be created through implementation of the internet information network expansion, the minister said.
A flat rate will be fixed for Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Ltd (BTCL) land phones countrywide, the minister said.
“The rate charged for land phones in and outside Dhaka will be the same. We shall do it in two to three months,” the minister said.
Presently, the per minute land phone rate of BTCL in Dhaka is Tk 0.15 during peak hours and Tk 0.10 during off-peak hours, while the inter-zonal rate is Tk 1 during peak hours and Tk 0.70 during off-peak hours.
Demand for BTCL's land phone has increased tremendously, the minister said. He also wants more people to use BTCL's phones.
The flat rate means if any BTCL customer dials from Dhaka or from any district for respondents anywhere else in the country, the rate will be the same and there will be no variation in its call rates from district-to-district calling.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Zia Ahmed and BTCL Managing Director SM Khabiruzzaman also attended the WTPF.
“At the forum, we stressed how developing nations could be more connected through the telecom network and use it to face the challenges of climate change and natural disasters,” the minister said.
The government's vision to build a 'Digital Bangladesh' was lauded at the forum, he said.
On the illegal use of voice over internet protocol (VoIP) by private telecom operators, the telecom minister said the use of over one lakh SIM cards have been cancelled for being used in VoIP.
Zia Ahmed said they have warned those who are using illegal VoIP.
“The illegal use of VoIP has to be fought by both policy and policing. We are changing necessary laws in this regard,” Ahmed said.