The state-run National Telecom Monitoring Cell (NTMC), administered by an intelligence agency, has sought an allocation from the Social Obligation Fund (SoF) “to maintain state discipline and social responsibility.”
But, according to law, the fund will be used only for expansion of telecommunication services to the deprived areas having no network.
NTMC wants Tk60 crore from the fund, contributed by four private mobile phone operators, for data interception with the fastest mobile data service (3G).
It also wished to be a part of the SoF management committee. It already has sent two different letters to the home ministry and the post and telecommunication ministry.
Both the ministries also sent their respective recommendations to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
Officials said the regulator has neither accepted nor rejected the proposals. The proposals were, however, placed at a commission meeting.
Meanwhile, Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (Amtob) sent another proposal to the telecommunication minister last week, protesting participation of non-contributors to the fund. Secretary general TIM Nurul Kabir signed the recommendations.
“Only the licensed operators which contribute to SoF should be eligible to participate in the SoF programmes or contracts, including special projects,” reads the Amtob letter.
According to the letter, telecom operators also expect the fund allocation to the NTMC. NTMC requested incorporating a provision in the SoF rule to facilitate them getting the fund allocation in future.
“The SoF has been created to spring up telecommunication services to the area deprived of. The money will be spent only on it, not for other purposes,” a senior executive officer of a mobile phone operator told the Dhaka Tribune, requesting anonymity.
NTMC requested incorporating a member of the law enforcing agencies or the NTMC in the SoF management committee.
Four mobile phone operators – Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi and Airtel – has been contributing its 1% of total revenue from November 2011. The figure stood at Tk333 crore as of September last year.
Sources said the figure reached nearly Tk400 crore by the end of 2013.
Amtob proposed establishing a wholly state-run body to administer the fund. It also urged the government to find out deprived areas in the country, where the telecom penetration rate is low compared to the national rate.
Amtob suggested categorising the deprived areas. The areas having up to 10% of population out of the telecom services will be identified as less deprived. In the same way, if the deprived population is 10%-20%, the areas will be seen as moderately deprived and for 20% above, it will be designated as severely deprived.
It also said funds allocation and project formulation should be on the basis of the ratio of deprived people.
The contributing companies want transparency in the management of the fund. “As we are contributing to it, we want to know how the fund will be managed,” said a senior executive officer of a contributing mobile phone operator.
As per Bangladesh Telecommunication (Amendment) Act 2010, the regulator can raise a fund under the SOF. The rate of the fund and system will be decided by the rule.
The government could not yet formulate any rule in this regard. But, BTRC has made it mandatory for the mobile operators to contribute 1% of their total revenues.
The operators have been contributing to the fund since November 2011.
