Shares of state-owned Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited, formerly known as Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board, will be floated in the stock markets within one year.
‘It will be possible to offload shares within one year,’ SM Khabiruzzaman, the BTCL managing director told New Age at his office. On May 21, this year, the minister for posts and telecommunications, Rajiuddin Ahmed said that at least 10 per cent shares of the BTCL would be floated in initial phase in the earliest possible time.
‘We are yet to finalise things. We will have to be a full-fledged company before floating shares in the markets,’ Khabiruzzaman said. He said before going to stock market, three companies – BTCL, TeleTalk and Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited – would merge and a bill would have to be passed in parliament.
Asked when the bill would be passed, the managing director said that he expects the bill to be passed in the current session of parliament. Asked how offloading of shares would benefit subscribers, he said that along with other benefits, it would ensure people’s ownership in the BTCL that made its debut on July 1, 2008 as a public limited company.
On the future of the BTCL, the chief executive described the future as bright and said that in a country of 15 crore people, 6-7 crore should have access to telephones. ‘BTCL is working towards that goal.’ To a question, he said that it would be possible to achieve the target within next 10 years.
The future emphasis of the BTCL would be on commercial use of telephones, the managing director said adding that 80 per cent of the telephones should be commercially used. He also said the telephones are not only intended for voice calls rather they are for multipurpose uses including internet.
Asked why the number of subscribers is almost stagnant for few years, Khabiruzzaman said that the number was stagnant because there was no expansion of the capacity. He said that the BTCL has undertaken projects to enhance the capacity to accommodate more subscribers.
Replying to a question, the BTCL chief said that apart from the capital the company is able to provide connection to subscribers on demand. ‘Things in the capital will be better in coming days.’ About the new call rate, Khabiruzzaman said that from July 1, this year subscribers would be charged a nationwide flat call rate of Tk 0.30 per minute for BTCL-BTCL numbers while additional Tk 0.20 would be added to call on other operators including mobile.
‘The call rate has already been approved by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, he added. Under the new call rate, NWD callers will benefit while local callers will have to pay much more than before. Currently local calls cost Tk 0.10 per minute at off-peak and Tk 0.15 at peak hours.
The managing director on this regard said the present rates for local calls were abnormally low. Besides, according to BTRC rule, per minute call charge should not be below Tk 0.25, he added.
-New Age
