Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Abdul Latif Siddique has promised to reduce Internet tariff at the consumer level and enforce a single price across the country.
Speaking at a workshop on ‘ICT Indicators for Bangladesh’ organised at the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) auditorium on Tuesday, Siddique also promised to take steps to introduce fiber-optic cables in rural areas to provide high speed internet.“We have to bridge the digital divide by ensuring ICT services for the rural population with high-speed connectivity,” he said.
State Minister for Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak said that demands to reduce Internet prices in popular social networking site Facebook and other social media had come to his notice.
He said that many opined in Facebook stressing the need for providing high speed internet with cheap price in the country to ensure people’s access to online based services.
Admitting that Internet prices were slightly high, Palak said: “The demands for reducing Internet prices will be met soon through the government’s decision.”
The six mobile phone operators in the country provide Internet services at different rates over different networks. Five of them provide 3G Internet.
The function was addressed, among others, by Statistics and Information Management Division Secretary Md Najibur Rahman, Director (Teaching) of BCC Mohammad Enamul Kabir, Deputy Director of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Kabir Uddin Ahmed. – bdnews24.com
