Reform in regulatory policies urged to build digital Bangladesh

Bangladesh, April 10 -- Leaders of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DCCI) on Sunday recommended bringing reforms in

existing telecom and information technology related regulatory policies for attaining the target of building digital Bangladesh.

"Telecommunication and internet connectivity policies need to be modified with business-friendly characters as it is done globally," DCCI president Asif Ibrahim told at a press conference at DDCI office here. The government needs to rethink about the policy reforms in respect to create an environment where public interest, business interest and investors' interest can be protected, he said.

DCCI chief demanded wiping out all sort of uncertainty in license renewal for telecom industries to achieve the government's aspiration of building an IT-based middle-income country by 2021.

"The proposed about Taka 14,000 crore licenses renewal fees for mobile operators should be reduced to ease the internet services to the doorsteps of the people," he said. Due to some regulatory barriers, Ibrahim said, the country could not flourish call center like India. "These barriers should be removed," he said. DCCI held the press conference to disseminate the recommendation that were made at its recent seminar titled

'Digital Connectivity and Growth of Economy' held in the capital on March 23. The DCCI chief said immediate initiative has to be taken for development of IT infrastructure, as it is the backbone of the digital revolution. "A solid road map needs to be put in place to guide us into becoming not only for a regional powerhouse in digital connectivity but also for powerhouse for global connectivity," he said.

He recommended making IT education compulsory at all level of education and building nationwide IT infrastructure including hi- tech and software parks, ICT incubator and computer villages at every suitable locations in the county.

"We need a second fibre optic connection immediately, otherwise the reliability and confidence of building digital Bangladesh will not be in place," he said adding that the tendering process of setting up fibre optic connections should be made as simple as possible and rationale for the private sector.

He said post offices would have to be modernized with high- speed internet facilities and e-transaction system should be introduced at all level of transaction. "Farmer's credit cards may be introduced in order to buy important and necessary things on emergency basis," he said.

The leaders of DCCI also recommended taking more projects under Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme to exploit full potentials of IT sector. DCCI senior Vice President T I M Nurul Kabir spoke on the occasion, among other members.

Published by HT Syndication with permission from The New Nation.

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