Massive corruption inside BTCL under failed administration

by Special Correspondent
January 31, 2011

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1250/massive-corruption-inside-btcl-under-failed

After the well expected and tremendous growth of private-owned mobile phone companies with millions of customers in Bangladesh, land Phone Company, which is owned by the company is already suffering from gradually losing people's interest and confidence for multiple reasons. On the other hand, one of the mobile phone companies named Tele-Talk, which also is owned by the government is gradually becoming a minor player in the market, and it is expected that, ultimately this company will turn into another losing concern, like all other state owned enterprises in the country.

Bangladesh Telegraph & Telephone Board [BTTB] was originally owning and operating land phone connections in the country for decades. Few years back, government formed a company named Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited [BTCL], which now operates the land-phone lines. But the service and customer care standard of BTCL is even worst than that of BTTB.

The Telegraph branch under the Posts and Telegraph Department was created in 1853 in the then British India and was regulated afterwards under the Telegraph Act-1885. The Telegraph branch was reconstructed in 1962 in the then East Pakistan as Pakistan Telegraph and Telephone Department. In 1971, after the independence of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Department was set up under the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. This was converted into a corporate body named 'Telegraph and Telephone Board' by promulgation of Telegraph and Telephone Board Ordinance, 1975. In pursuance of an ordinance of 1979, Telegraph and Telephone Board was converted into Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB), as a Government Board. From 1st July, 2008, as per the Telecommunication policy, 1998, BTTB was converted into a public limited company - Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited through another ordinance.

BTCL has a mandate to provide basic telecommunication services throughout the country. At present, BTCL is providing telephone service to about 1 million telephone subscribers down to upazila (thana) and growth centre level. Most of them can also use dial-up internet service. BTCL has the largest telecom infrastructure comprising of copper cabling, microwave links, satellite links, optical fibre networks etc. The call rates and internet rates are cheaper than those of other operators. ADSL Broadband internet service is available now with present capacity of 33 thousands. BTCL earned 15653 million taka revenue in 2007-08 and 20813 million taka revenue in 2008-09 fiscal year. Number of Sanctioned posts is 19066. Working manpower on 30^th June 2009 was 10325 (regular). In addition to this, about 5000 employees have been working as work-charged and casual. The organogram of the company is approved along with 8703 posts in 28^th Board of Directors' meeting held on 27^thDecember 2009.

Mr. Sunil Kanti Bose, Secretary, Ministry of Post & Telecommunications is the chairman of BTCL. Eminent Bangladeshi writer Dr. Zafar Iqbal, though originally educated as a physicist got the post of professor of professor of the Department of Computer Science & Engineering at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology in Bangladesh. He also is an influential director of the board of BTCL. It was always expected that, with people like Dr. Zafar Iqbal, BTCL will be able to at least ensure proper services to the customers. But, in reality, the situation is just the reverse.

Customers of BTCL are continuing to face series of problems, which includes, regular disruption of connection, connection piracy, false billing as well as collection of money by the line men of BTCL from the customers in the name of replacing cables.

Two land phone lines at the residence of Weekly Blitz editor at Dhaka's Uttara area is out of order for more than a year. These connections were never restored despite series of complaints lodged with the relevant authorities including the office of the Division Engineer. Instead, the linemen were continuing to demand money from the family members of the editor with excuse of buying cables etc. With this proved record of gross irregularities inside BTCL as well as extremely poor standard of customer care and services, it is well anticipated that the government's plan to hold the company under the management of some bureaucrats have totally failed. It is time for Bangladesh government to immediately dispose off BTCL to private owners or allow private entrepreneurs to come up with land phone services in near future.

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