Claiming that the 3G mobile auction held on Sunday was virtually competition free, a rights group has demanded full disclosure of its process and a parliamentary debate on it.
In a statement on Monday, EquityBD (Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh) condemned the approach of multinational mobile phone companies who syndicate and pressurise the government to make the auction competition free.
It also questioned whether the whole process was surrender to the ‘multinational syndicate or a planned game’.
EquityBD chief moderator Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said these multinational companies pressurised the government in the last few months and succeeded to reduce the VAT rate from 15 per cent to 5 per cent and withdraw the condition of participation of other foreign companies in the auction process.
‘It’s a matter of shame for this multinationals and their origin countries (Grameen/ Telenor – Norway, Banglalink/Orascom – Egypt, Robi/Singtel-Singapore, and Airtel-India), he said adding that this was a double standard implementation of WTO principles on open and free competition.
-With New Age input
