The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission will revise the draft handset import rules which will be carried out by the spectrum division instead of previous combined effort from other departments, said officials.
The BTRC in April published a draft directive saying the regulator would approve types of handset with some specifications which will eliminate the requirement of taking no objection certificate from the BTRC for every shipment.
The public consultation on the draft ended in March 31.
The draft was prepared by a committee comprising members from relevant departments of the commission but the spectrum division was opposing the move as it gives the NOC under the existing system, BTRC officials said.
‘Now the importers have to take NOC from the spectrum division for every shipment which some official use for personal benefit. The BTRC through type-based approval system tried to make the process easier for the importers and end the ill practices,’ a senior BTRC official told New Age on Monday.
He said the spectrum division was demanding that the draft should include a provision which would allow the spectrum officials to become the quality controller of the handset import in the ports.
‘If such a clause is included, then the importers will be again come under the grip of spectrum division,’ he said.
Another BTRC official said the telecom regulator chairman had already allowed the spectrum division to form a committee for the revision.
‘Following strong opposition from the spectrum division the chairman has recently allowed the spectrum division to form a committee to decide on the matter alone,’ he said.
According to the draft directive, the BTRC will approve a type of handset with some specific technical parameters and service quality assurance and notify customs and also publish the detailed information on the web site.
After a certain type of handsets got approval, all eligible importers can import the handset by showing the type approval number.
The draft directive, Type Approval Directives on Importer of Mobile Station, says that all handsets must contain Bangla keypad and be capable of reading, writing, storing and forwarding the Bangla contents including SMS and emails.
It says the importers must ensure that all handsets carry a hologram sticker confirming the authenticity and genuineness of the product and the IMEI/ ESN/ MEID number and typed approval number must be printed or labelled clearly inside the mobile and on its box.
-With New Age input
