The New Nation - Internet Edition

NATION BUSINESS REPORT

Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited (BTCL) is planning to introduce wireless telephone connection instead of cable connections to check continued pilfering of cables.

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Post and Telecommunication Ministry Brig General (Retd) MA Malek gave a

guideline in this regard to concerned officials.

It said there are about 12.5 lakh telephone connections across the country, which are totally depended on cables. As such the post of lineman at the field level in BTCL is very vital.

In case a telephone gets disconnected, it is the linemen who repair the fault in the cable. Cables worth taka 60 lakh were stolen in past six months, the sources said.

The phone also gets disconnected when digging take place in the roads. Giving telephone connections through setting cables miles after miles is a backdated system, it said.

Brig General (Retd) MA Malek said that telephone cables are often stolen, which causes sufferings to the customers.

"If such incidents continue to happen, the customers would be discouraged to subscribe BTCL connections, he added.

He said, like other private companies, the state-owned company BTCL should also provide telephone connections through wireless system.

The special assistant further said that Teletalk has taken a new initiative to improve its network coverage in the Chittagong Hill Tract areas.

Teletalk has now 20,000 connections in the municipality areas under Rangamati, Khagrachari and Banderban districts.

Another source said, a summary with some amendments and inclusions in the BTRC act has been sent to the cabinet division to make BTRC more dynamic and effective. The Post and Telecommunication Ministry prepared the summary suggesting for more autonomy for BTRC.

Brig General (Retd) Malek said the summary would be sent to the Advisers' Council for approval.