Bangladesh Consultation on 7^th IGF, WSIS+10 & Broadband Targets for 2015 of Broadband Commission

A Multi-Stakeholders 'Consultation on 7th Internet Governance Forum(IGF) , World Summit on the Information Society Forum  2012 (WSIS+10) & Broadband Commission for Digital Development’s  broad Band action plan   was organized at Conference Room of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) yesterday.

The consultation was jointly organized by Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio & Communication (BNNRC), Monthly Computer Jagat and Angkur ICT Development Foundation in Collaboration with Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC)

Mr. Hasnul Haque Inu, MP, Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Post & Tele Communication joined as the Chief Guest, while Major General Zia Ahmed,PSC (Rtd.) Chairman, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC)  participated as the Special Guest of the meeting.  Dr.Akram Hossain Chowdhury, MP and Chairman, Center for E-Parliament Research moderated the program.

In his speech as Chief Guest Mr.Hasanul Haq Inu, MP told that this consultation would contribute and play important role on the eve of 7^th Internet Governance Forum.We need to review now our achievement in Digital Bangladesh. We need to revise some of the policy aspects in relevance to Digital progress. I personally believe that access to broadband internet is our constitutional right. He claimed to exempt 15% VAT on internet and demanded zero-taxation on all other ICT equipment.

Maj. General (Rtd.) Zia Ahmed, PSC  told that the profits of lowering the price of Internet Bandwidth yet not reached to common people .If we could ensure this scope to the common people ,it would accelerate the implementation of Digital Bangladesh vision. We are working to cover the wider community in future Bangladesh.

At the outset of the consultation, Mr.AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio & Communication (BNNRC) welcomed all the participants and invited  opinion and recommendations from them.

Two presentations were made dealing with WSIS Goals and broadband issues, by Reza Salim, Director, Amader Gram ICT for Development Project and Lieutenant Colonel Md.Rakibul Hasan, Director (Systems & Services) of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

Among others Md.Faizullah Khan, President , Bangladesh Computer Somity(BCS) , Shamim Ahsan, Ex-vice president of BASIS, S M Altaf Hossain, Managing Director of DRIK-ICT, Ms. Nazneen Nahar, Editor, Monthly Techworld Bangladesh also took part in the consultation by putting forward  their valuable opinion and comments .

AHM. Bazlur Rahman-S21BR
Chief Executive Officer
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)
[NGO in Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council]
& 
Head, Community Radio Academy 
 
House: 13/1, Road: 2, Shaymoli, Dhaka-1207  Bangladesh
Phone: +88-02-9130750, +88-02-9138501, Cell: +88 01711881647 
Fax: 88-02-9138501-105,