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Country's tele-installation capacity up by 64
pc
Post and Telecommunications Minister Barrister
Aminul Haque yesterday said Bangladesh telephone
installation capacity over the last four years
had increased by 64 per cent, bringing about a
silent revolution in this vital sector.
"Country's total telephone installation capacity
was 6,85,400 in October, 2001 and it has now
increased to 11,19,678," the minister said,
adding, that the number of mobile links also
rose to 68 lakh now from 10 lakh in 2001.
Barrister Aminul Haque disclosed this
information yesterday while talking to the news
agency on various achievements of the alliance
government over the last four years. He
especially spelt out what the Post and
Telecommunications sector achieved during the
period.
While explaining the country's position in the
global telecommunications network, the Minister
said Bangladesh is going to be linked with the
information superhighway this year.
"Although it is late, Bangladesh is being linked
with the sub- marine cable network," he said
adding that the work for the landing station in
Cox's Bazar had already been completed.
Speaking about the contribution of Bangladesh
Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) to the
national economy, Barrister Aminul Haque said
BTTB had earned a total of Taka 5,900 crore as
revenue income during the last four years.
He said the present government within the first
100 days in office had constituted Bangladesh
Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, which
by now gave PSTN licenses to 15 companies. The
commission earned Taka 624 crore during the last
three years, he said.
In view of the gradual demand for tele-communication
facilities, the minister said the alliance
government has also plans for issuing licenses
for PSTN in Dhaka city, GSM, VOIP service and
introduction of 3-G mobile in the country.
The minister said the present government has
declared the Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) as a thrust sector a
high-powered committee headed by Prime Minister
Begum Khaleda Zia has been
monitoring its progress.
China v/s India
The rise of China and India is the talk of the
town. The two countries have seen their incomes
grow at much above average rates over the last
decade. There is no doubt about the great
potential of these two economies. However,
structural and institutional problems will
continue to impede consistent growth.
China and India are still poor countries. Of the
total of 2.3 billion people, nearly 1.5 billion
earn less than US$2 a day. Without doubt, the
lifting of hundreds of millions of people above
poverty is commendable. Nevertheless, in terms
of per capita GDP, both in nominal and PPP
terms, they have a long way to go. In world
trade, although China is better of with 6 per
cent share, India with about 1 per cent is a
minor player.
Much is made about India’s IT surge. Without
wanting to denigrate its excellent performance,
it needs to be remembered that the total number
of workers in all possible forms of IT-related
jobs in India comes to less than a million
workers – one-quarter of one percent of the
Indian labor force. As for China, considered the
manufacturing workshop of the world, less than
one-fifth of its labor force is employed in
manufacturing, mining, and construction
combined. Private enterprise in China is weak.
Chinese banks are burdened with "bad" loans.
China's system of government is a major
long-term impediment. India’s reform exercise
has been halting and hesitant.
Progress can not, therefore, be ensured over the
long-run, unless political and structural
reforms go hand-in-hand. There still is an
enormous gap between China, India and the
developed world. There are also severe pitfalls
which both have to overcome before they are
significant players on a sustained basis.
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