BTRC’s Licensed Firms Contribute 1% Dividend to Social Responsibility Fund

In the telecommunication sector in the country providing services and internet 11 types of licensed Companies Have to pay 1% of the dividend to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). This money will be added to the social responsibility fund of BTRC.

Till now the country’s mobile operators used to give 1% of the dividend to BTRC for social responsibility fund. It was not mandatory for companies other than telecom operators. According to the new guidelines,11 types of licensed companies will now have to pay dividends in this sector.

According to BTRC data, 27 types of licenses are issued by BTRC based on demand. These licenses include Submarine Cable, International Gateway (IGW), Interconnection Exchange (ICX), International Internet Gateway (IIG), Mobile Number Portability (MNP), Broadband Wireless Access (BWA), Cellular Mobile Phone Operators, International Terrestrial Cable (ITC)., Tower Sharing, Public Switched Telephone Operator Network (PSTN), Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network (NTTN), National Internet Exchange (NIX), Vehicle Tracking Services (VTS), Internet Protocol Telephone Service Limited, Internet Service Provider, Vista User License, Vista Hub Operator License, Telecommunication Value Added Service (TVAS), Call Centre.

Telecom operators in the country were required to contribute 1% of their gross audited revenue to the social responsibility funds per the amended law in 2010, This money is used to make telecommunication services available to poor people who are deprived of telecommunication facilities. 2 thousand 228 crores have been deposited in this fund till 2022-23. In addition, the income from bank interest was Tk 575 crore. So far the total amount of deposits in this fund is 2 thousand 803 crores. 902 crore has been spent. Currently, the amount of funds is 1 thousand 900 crores.

From four types of sectors, Money is deposited in this fund. These are grants from the government, grants from domestic or international organizations, contributions from telecommunication and wireless operators and contributions from any other legitimate source.

BTRC Acting Chairman Engineer Sheikh Riaz Ahmed said to Business Care News, “We have formulated new integrated guidelines for 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G. Social responsibility funds were already mandatory for cellular mobile phone operators. Through this, BTRC formed a fund and used a large portion of the poor people deprived of telecommunication facilities. Now this fund has been made mandatory for some new institutions.

BTRC Acting Chairman Engineer Sheikh Riaz Ahmed said to Business Care News, “We have formulated new integrated guidelines for 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G. Social responsibility funds were already mandatory for cellular mobile phone operators. Through this, BTRC formed a fund and used a large portion of the poor people deprived of telecommunication facilities. Now this fund has been made mandatory for some new institutions.