The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bangladesh Postal Department is going to introduce mobile money order services and call centres, official sources said here on Wednesday. Introduction of the new services, based on 8,200 village post offices around the country, is expected to raise not only the income but also restore the department's glory, the sources said. The department suffered Taka 150 crore during the last fiscal, the sources added. The postal department has already signed a corporate agreement with grameenphone to introduce the new digitalised services. Under the new services, three staff members who man each of the 8200 rural post offices are also going to be benefited. They are now paid a salary of Taka 750 per month. Their pleas for pay hikes have remained unanswered so far.

Under the new scheme, a village postal employee will receive one mobile phone set. grameenphone will provide mobile sets along with SIM cards at a nominal price. The price for the sets would be adjusted by Taka 100 from their monthly salary of Taka 750. The people would be able to avail of services of these sets at a nominal price. The revenue turnover will be shared by the three employees of rural pots offices, expecting to raise their monthly income as well by another Taka 700 at least, the sources said.

The mobile phone company will pay five percent to the postal department from the revenues out of use of these sets. The postal department is expected to have an additional Taka 150 to 200 crore annually, the sources said.

Explaining the new services, Director General of Postal Department Mobasherur Rahman told BSS that the department will introduce the new mobile money order services.

Under the new system, a certain amount of money will remain at village post offices. Money will be paid to recipients through identification by mobile phones.

The DG said the postal department now handles 14 to 15 crore letters from which it earns Taka 34 to 35 crore. The department will have further income with the introduction of another initiative by the government to bring the courier and carrier services under new regulations of licensing.

Under the proposed regulation, a regulatory wing of the postal department will have the authority of issuing licenses and cancellation of registrations.

The DG further said that annually the courier services handles seven to eight crore letters. The postal department could earn a revenue of Taka 7 crore from their service charges.