Mobile phone operator Robi is apprehending a negative impact of political turmoil on the earnings of the country’s telecommunication industry.
“It creates a huge impact on the total economy and the trade and commerce of the country, especially on telecom industry,” Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, chief financial officer of Robi, told a press conference in Dhaka on Thursday.
The presser was organised to present the operator’s third quarterly financial report at its corporate office.
“As strikes continue, our revenue earnings are hampered badly,” said Mahtab Uddin.
Earlier, Telenor Group President Jon Fredrik Baksaas also expressed the same concern over the ongoing political situation in the country.
“We are very concerned about the current political situation in Bangladesh,” said Jon Fredrik Baksaas while attending ITU Telecom World in Thailand recently.
At the press conference on Thursday, Robi, one of the leading mobile operators in Bangladesh, reported a slowdown in its revenue growth.
It registered 1% revenue growth in the third quarter compared to second quarter this year.
Robi attributed the slowdown to the negative impact of political instability.
But the operator reported 16% growth during the period compared to the same period last year.
In the third quarter this year, Robi earned Tk11.73bn revenue.
Robi made profit after tax of Tk1.42bn during these three months.
Commenting on the introduction of 3.5G services, the CFO pointed out that the revenue growth was “more significant because data and non-voice were driving the revenue growth for the first time.”
Data revenue growth was important at this point particularly because the company has invested a significant amount to expand its 3.5G services.
Robi has already made a major investment of Tk8.7bn to acquire 3G licence.
Its acting chief executive officer Matiul Islam Nowshad, executive vice president Mahmudur Rahman and other senior officials were also present.
