The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB joins AMIC portal for youth, new media

UNB, Dhaka

United News of Bangladesh (UNB), the independent news agency, has forged a partnership with the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC), a Singapore-based media research institute, to launch a global portal for students of journalism and communication.

This portal called 'AMIC Young Communicators Network (AYCN)' aims to provide a platform for students to voice their opinions on global contemporary issues. Through the AYCN, a digital platform has been produced that will bring together students of journalism worldwide, said an AMIC press release.

UNB was the first to commit and come onboard this project as a partner and sponsor to foster youth and new media.

4 taskforce teams visit BTTB head office to check the phone men's function

UNB, Dhaka

Four teams of the army-led taskforce against serious crime and corruption yesterday visited the head office of Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) to see the

facilities as they will start to monitor all kinds of its function closely from Sunday.

BTTB sources said the taskforce teams led by Col. Monirul Islam went to the state-run phone providers' office at about 12 noon and chose a room from where they will be operating from Sunday.

The teams also sat in a meeting with BTTB chairman Ashraful Alim at his office.

"The taskforce will set up a temporary office at the BTTB building from where they will monitor all its activities to make the government utility organization more service-oriented," said one source.

BTTB General Manager Col. Rizwan told UNB that the taskforce teams would aid them in ensuring transparency at all levels, in a turnaround from alleged irregularities of the past.

Referring to a written statement given by the taskforce teams, BTTB PRO Morshed said the teams mentioned that they would "monitor closely all the projects undertaken by BTTB from initial to implementation stages to make the organization more active, dynamic and up-to-date by ensuring accountability".

"The teams also will keep a close eye on BTTB billing system and the process of collection for bringing accountability and transparency," it is stated in the statement.

The teams urged the city-dwellers to send their suggestions or complaints through (bttb.taskforce@gmail.com or ncc.taskforce@gmail.com ) mail addresses as well as the fax number 833429.

Govt loosing Tk 1208.88 cr yearly due to VoIP

UNB, Dhaka

The government is loosing around Tk 1208.88 crore revenue per year due to international call termination through illegal VoIP system.

The BTRC is currently working on ways to reduce international call termination through illegal VoIP.

According to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), every day some three crore international calls are entering form abroad.

Of the calls, Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) terminates some 1.40 crore calls and the rest 1.60 crore calls are dealt by the VoIP traders.

The number of international outgoing calls are between 16 to 20 percent (48 to 60 lakhs) of the incoming calls and BTTB handles most of these calls.

"Huge amount of money is being lost through through illegal VoIP… On an average, we're loosing some US$ 3 cent in revenue per call," BTRC Chairman Major General (retd) Manzurul Alam told UNB.

When the BTRC tightened the drive against illegal VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) business, the loss of revenue rose to US$ 6 cent per call, he said.

Under the strict supervision of BTRC, Mazurul said drives against the illegal VoIP business is going on in full swing and it has reduced this illegal business substantially.

Besides the drive, to minimize the illegal call termination, BTRC is trying to reduce the international call charge close to the rate of the market, the BTRC chairman said.

Quality of the calls exchanged through illegal VoIP is very poor, he said, adding that the unlicensed VoIP trade would naturally become ineffectual if BTTB international call charges could be reduced down to US$ 4 cent that is quite close to the call charge in the gray market.

Recently, most of the cell phone operators in the country were found involved in illegal VoIP trade. Telecom companies including Grameenphone, Banglalink, Aktel and Citycell had been charged with fines for their involvement in unlicensed VoIP trade.

The BTRC Chairman said the second submarine cable would be installed as soon as possible to handle growing number of international calls. The BTRC would also shut down the V-sats which are used as gateways for terminating VoIP calls.

Bangladesh may send aircraft to Darfur for UN mission

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Foreign affairs adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said yesterday Bangladesh might provide aircraft for UN peacekeeping operations in Darfur, besides contributing two battalions of soldiers.

The US urged Bangladesh to provide aircraft for the troubled region of Darfur in Sudan. US ambassador James F Moriarty made the request when he met with Iftekhar at the foreign ministry.

"I have told him (the ambassador) that we must provide aircraft if we have that capability," Iftekhar told reporters after his meeting with Moriarty.

"We have already offered two battalions of soldiers."

Dhaka told Washington that it would request Myanmar to accept humanitarian aid pledged by the international community to help the cyclone-affected people of the Southeast Asian country.

The ambassador urged Bangladesh to convince Myanmar to accept international aid.

"We have very good relations with Myanmar. We will certainly use our good office over Myanmar to accept the aid pledged by the international community," the adviser said.

Military rulers in Myanmar have been refusing to accept aid from the international community in the wake of the May 3 cyclone.

Bangladesh also said to the US that it was thinking of recognising Kosovo which declared independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008.

Islamic countries could take a concerted decision on recognising Kosovo at the July meeting of foreign ministers of the Islamic countries in Uganda.

The US and the European Union have recognised Kosovo although Russia and Serbia have strongly opposed Kosovo's independence.

Russia had warned that it might use its veto power against Kosovo's inclusion in the UN.

"We have sought Bangladesh's support for a number of issues. For example, diplomatic recognition of Kosovo," Moriarty told bdnews24.com.

The ambassador termed chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed's address to the nation "positive" and hoped the election process would go on and political parties would take part in the upcoming polls.

Bangladesh offers medical team as part of relief effort to China

UNB, Dhaka

Foreign Adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury On Thursday telephoned the Chinese envoy to Bangladesh Ambassador Zheng Qingdian and offered the services of an army medical team in the aftermath of the earthquake in China. The Chinese Ambassador thanked the Foreign Adviser for the offer and said he would revert to the Bangladesh authorities on the matter, said a press release.

"China is an all-weather friend and any support that China needs at this time, which we are in a position to provide, we shall do so", Dr. Iftekhar Chowdhury told the media afterwards.

CA opens mobile phone network in CHT

UNB, Dinajpur

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed formally inaugurated the mobile telephone network in the Chittagong Hill Tracts by talking to his two Special Assistants over cell phone from here Thursday afternoon.

Dr Fakhruddin, who visited the Hill Tracts last March, had assured the people over there that the CHT would be brought under the mobile phone networking. Within six weeks of the assurance, the CHT has been connected with the modern communication system of mobile phone. While inaugurating the mobile network, the Chief Adviser talked with his special assistants Raja Devashis Roy and Brig Gen (retd) Malek in Rangamati at about 12:20pm.

Dr Fakhruddin, who came here to inaugurate the Boro harvesting, said it was a longstanding demand of the CHT people and it has been accomplished with concerted efforts of all.

He hoped that the mobile network would contribute to socio-economic development of the people in the hill tracts. The Chief Adviser said the government has attached special attention to the socio-economic development of the CHT people. Steps would be taken so the cell phones reach customers soon, he added.