The telecom regulator BTRC and Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) yesterday honoured disabled freedom fighters and family members of martyred freedom fighters by presenting 3G-enabled mobile handsets.
Four mobile phone operators - Grameenphone, Robi, Airtel and Banglalink sponsored a total of 323 mobile handsets with 3G SIM cards.
Telecommunications Minister Rashed Khan Menon distributed the handsets and SIM cards at a function at the National Museum auditorium in Dhaka.
Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu, Shipping and Liberation War Affairs Minister Shahjahan Khan, Telecom Secretary Md Abubakar Siddique, BTRC Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose and AMTOB Secretary General TIM Nurul Kabir were also present.
“Mobile operators are proud to be a part of efforts to honour national heroes,” said TIM Nurul Kabir.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Vice-chairman Md Giashuddin Ahmed and freedom fighters Hemayet Uddin Birbikrom and MA Mazed also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, the state-owned operator Teletalk gave freedom fighters 3G-connected SIM cards with Tk500 free talk time per month.
AMTOB sources said the mobile handset vendor Symphony would provide technical supports to the handsets and give training on how to use the handsets.
Referring to the speech of BNP leader Khaleda Zia, Shipping and Liberation War Affairs Minister Shahjahan Khan said: “She will rename not only Gopalganj, but also the whole country as ‘Banglastan’ as per the name of Pakistan.”
“It’s not new for BNP. Its founder Ziaur Rahman, who usurped power after 1975 after the assassination of father of the nation, changed the name of Bangladesh Betar to Radio Bangladesh like Radio Pakistan and also of Chittagong Port to Port of Chittagong like Port of Karachi.”
“After taking over state power, Ziaur Rahman rehabilitated the people like Sabur Khan (razakar and then Muslim League leader.) Later, his wife (Khaleda Zia) made Nizami and Muzahid (convicted of war crimes) ministers.”