October 29, 2002	Tuesday	Sha’aban 22,1423

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: The federal minister for science and technology, Atta-ur-Rehman, on Monday apprised a two-member delegation of Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Authority which called on him here at his office of the steps taken by the government to use science and technology as an engine of growth and socio-economic development.

The minister said ample opportunities of mutual cooperation between the two countries in IT and Telecom Sector exist.

The Bangladesh delegation comprised F.Q.M. Farooq, vice-chairman Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission, and Rezaaul Haq, director of the Commission, BTRC.

Farooq informed the minister about his government‘s plans to deregulate the telecom sector. He said that Bangladesh would start issuing licenses for fixed lines after June, 2003.

He said that Bangladesh was working on a plan to invite some officers from the telecom sector who would also visit Pakistan for further education and training.

The delegation also called on Chairman PTA, Maj-Gen Shahzada Alam Malik (retd), the same day. Briefing the delegation about the pole of Authority and impending deregulation of the telecom sector on the conclusion of the PTCL‘s monopoly over basic telephony by the end of this year, chairman PTA said that a transparent and comprehensive strategy was being evolved to grant licenses to new entrants, having financial and technological viability, on competitive basis.

He said then that the PTA was pursuing an effective and impartial system in awarding licenses to various types of telecom operators and the Authority was enjoying complete autonomy in taking regulatory decisions, promoting competition in the telecom industry and redressing consumers’ complaints.

The Bangladesh delegation took keen interest in the Authority, especially the operations of cellular mobile phone industry, granting of licenses to service providers on urgent basis, and the measures taken by the Authority to resolve complaints of both the service providers and the general public.