Telcos must have right to appeal

JS body suggests forming appeal board
A parliamentary body yesterday recommended setting up a “telecom appeal board” allowing telecom operators and ICT based organisations to appeal against actions of the government and BTRC.
On scrutinising a bill seeking amendments to the Bangladesh Telecommunications Act 2010, the parliamentary standing committee on post and telecommunications ministry came up with the suggestion following concerns raised by telecom operators and ICT based entrepreneurs.
The bill, placed in the parliament on June 13, proposed a number of amendments to the act including punishment to telecom operators for wrongdoings, giving them no scope for challenging the actions of the government or Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
“Once the telecom appeal board is formed, any organisation aggrieved by the government or BTRC’s actions can file appeal with the board challenging the action,” Hasanul Haque Inu, chief of the parliamentary body, said after the meeting.
At a press briefing at the Parliament’s Media Centre, the parliamentary body chief said they recommended inclusion of a new provision in the bill for setting up the telecom appeal board.
He said a sitting or retired High Court judge would be the chief of the three- member appeal board, which will have the jurisdiction of an HC bench.
He said the appeal board would dispose of an appeal within 60 days upon receiving it.
About punishment of PSTN operators, the parliamentary body also recommended that the government not switch off operations of any company considering subscribers’ interests.
If the government feels that it is necessary to take stern actions against any PSTN company, it might appoint an administrator to it to keep the company functional, the committee said.
On proposed amendment to the act to curtail BTRC’s authority, the parliamentary body said the BTRC would continue its ongoing functions.
But BTRC will have to take prior permission of the government to issue licences and fixing tariff rates, the parliamentary body said.
The bill placed in parliament proposed that the authority to issue licences, and make financial and policy decisions should rest with the government, not the BTRC, which now enjoys the privileges exclusively.
“We tried to bring a balance between the government and the BTRC. We believe, our recommendation will protect subscribers’ interests and will ensure investment friendly environment,” Inu said.
On the proposed provision for imposing a fine of maximum Tk 300 crore for wrongdoings, the parliamentary body recommended that an organisation might be awarded with the maximum fine for committing some specific offences.
Doing business without obtaining licence, doing other types of telecom business violating the licensing conditions, working against national integrity and solidarity by using telecom equipments will be considered as offences punishable with the maximum fine and imprisonment.
Inu said the committee finalised the scrutiny of the bill and will place its report in parliament on July 11 for passage of the bill with recommendations.

Courtesy of The Daily Star