State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim said final approval to Robi-Airtel merger agreement would depend on the outcome of public hearing and market survey impact report.
“We don’t oppose the merger agreement, but we have to wait until the outcome of public hearing and market survey impact report before giving final approval,” Tarana said at the inauguration of Telecom Reporters’ Network Bangladesh (TRNB) website yesterday.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is set to hold a public hearing on the merger of Robi Axiata Ltd and Airtel Bangladesh Ltd on 17 this month.
As BTRC sought, other operators in the country have already given their opinion welcoming the proposed merger.
The agreement was signed on January 28 in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur with a view to venturing into a joint business operation in Bangladesh.
About SIM registration, Tarana Halim said no tax would be imposed on the process. The registration now goes on across the country, which began on December last year.
She said finance minister was “fully convinced” on not taking the tax. “Mobile operators should not be worried as a written order regarding it will be announced in a day or two,” she added.
Tarana said she had asked to form three mobile teams to monitor biometric SIM registration work. In an announcement, the state minister said an initiative would be taken to provide smartphones to the insolvent rural people at only Tk25/30 monthly instalment.
“I have already talked to the Walton ( local smartphone brand) and asked them to supply the product at Tk2,000/2,500 so the insolvent people can afford at small instalments. I hope the initiative will be successful.”
