Role of BTRC - beyond the bones
There is a immense potential to reap from the telecom revolution and other things that goes with this. Here are some ideas that for BTRC to consider.
Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission is probably one of the most significant example of what a government agency could do when it really starts delivering what they exist. Before the currently reconstituted commission, the previous ones were dens of thieves and incompetent thugs whose main job was to siphon money out of government exchecker and more importantly, not making the relevant policies so that the thieves in the private sector can continue their stealing.
But there is no reason for complacency for the current BTRC. What has been achieved so far are the ones what anyone could tell in terms of what needed to be done. As a policy making body, its important that you make sure that the bones of the structure are well developed and placed in good coordination of the rest of the elements of the system. Defining the national telecom architecture and giving out the licenses to the relevant parties are just those bones. A lot more things need to be done. Today we would put forward two ideas that should be given due diligence. Off course, these are the result of half-done thinking process that needs to be refined and validated. However, intuitively, these seemed important enough to put forward the ideas.
1. Which types of international call should be encouraged?
We all know that the international calls can be either outbound or inbound. Based on the policy and pricing structure, the balance between these two types of calls can be influenced - i.e. BTRC could dictate the market forces through proper policies so that there is more outbound call-minutes than inbound call-minutes or vice versa. While it is possible to influence this, BTRC has to first know what it wants. The answer of this does not depend on BTRC only - it has to be decided by all the stakeholders - starting from Bangladesh Bank, the government, private sector businesses, etc. Or the consultative process might indicate that there is no need for policy influence in which case BTRC will try to make the policies color-blind as far as preference to international call-types are concerned. Let us conclude this point by mentioning what seems intuitive to us. A case could be made that Bangladesh's economy, society and private sector will be benefited if BTRC makes preferential treatment through policy instruments so that the balance favours the outbound call-minutes. However, intuition is not enough. You have to make a detailed study and analysis before an informed decision can be made in this regard.
2. How to use the increasing revenue of BTRC? Do not give it directly to the government exchecker, use it in ways that multiplies the government revenues.
This is certainly a good thing that we are talking about how to spend the money that you earn. Isn't it nice to know that at least one government agency is having well-thought out debate about how best to spend the money? Don't be too elated. What seems to be a very positive news could turn out to be the mother of all problems down the road. If it does not become a problem, at least, there is a chance that you are not using it in most productive way.
Our suggestion would be not to give the earned revenue directly to the government exchecker. If you just give Tk 100 to the exchecker, that is just Tk 100 for the government. However, BTRC can spend this Tk 100 in ways that will eventually add to the Tk 1000 or more to the national GDP. How
?
Let us try to explain in short. If BTRC can find out ways to send the money back to the economy that faciliate the growth of the service sectors that is associated with ICT sector, then the money will come back to the national GPD ten fold. What are the ways to do that
? You have to employ experts and innovative thinkers to suggest you the exact projects in collaboration with the consultation to the private sector - however, here are some early thoughts.
2A. Get all the stakeholders and implement a emergency help line service and other information services that requires different other government agencies (Police, Fire Service and Civil Defense Department, Social Service Ministry, Traffic Police, etc) to setup call center type facilities to respond to consumers in need and to supply information that consumers need (E911 type service). Spend your money - give it to the agencies so that they can get going.
2B. To facilitate the growth of a service sector locally - provide
tax substitution facility for the companies. Say for example, if a bank currently do not offer telephone or internet banking or if they do not have call center, you could devise a plan in collaboration with NBR that you will give some of the taxes of these companies if they spend money on locally offered services. This general policy should be examined very carefully to make sure that its not misused. If properly used, this could boost the local call centers which in turn increase the revenue of BTRC again (as BTRC have a revenue sharing deal with these call centers).
2C. BTRC could give incentive to professional training and language learning centers that are dedicated to supply manpower to the local call centers. Specifically, BTRC could encourage different language training centers (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Arabic, Swedish, Dutch, German, French as well as English learning centers and language labs) so that private entepreneurs could start exploring call center businesses from a bigger set of markets. Specifically, these language center could benefit from a large amount of migrant workers that we have and who periodically returns to their home country after completing their contract. Say for example, if a migrant worker returns from a 2-year stint of menial job from some country in middle east, this person has probably learned spoken Arabic. If they have a certain level of basic education and young, this group of youth can be easily trained to serve in Arabic language call centers. Some enterpreneur has to set up to train these type of people as well as fresh students out of schools and colleges. Another set of enterpreneurs has to explore geting some call center business from the gulf states. If this model works, this could be virtuous economic cycle of labour upgradation from which our economy will be diversified and benefited. Not only Arabic, we have lot of similar migrant workers in other countries where other languages are spoken.
Once a person works in a call center for several years that is focused on a certain country, they becomes knowlegeble about that particular country. Say for example, somebody learns Korean language and works for a call center that is targeted in Korean businesses. After serveral years of service in Korean call center, this person could get a part-time MBA and become an business executive for private sector companies that does business in Korea.
These are all nice thoughts and some of them (if not all) are certainly implementable. However, people in position has to plan for these so that they can happen in reality. For that to happen, a facilitating environment should be created. Proper people should be appointed so that they can advice the commission with proper analysis.
If you thought some of the ideas are worth of your reading time, please forward it to others. If you have an ear to the columnists in regular traditional media, please forward it to them. If you have an ear to the journalists and news editors of the electronic media, discuss it with them. Hope they would look at the suggestions and give due diligence.
Thanks for your time,
Innovation Line
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Note: This is a freelance column, published mainly in different internet based forums. This column is open for contribution by the members of new generation, sometimes referred to as Gen 71. If you identify yourself as someone from that age-group and want to contribute to this column, please feel free to contact. Thanks to the group moderator for publishing the article as Creative Commons contents.
Dear readers, also, if you thought the article was important enough so it should come under attention of the head of the government please forward the message to them. Email address for the Chief Advisor: feeedback@pmo.gov.bd_ or at http://www.cao.gov.bd/feedback/comments.php . The more of you forward it to them, the less will be the need to go back to street agitation. Use ICT to practice democracy. It is already proven that this government responds to the feedback.
Send it to BTRC at btrc@btrc.gov.bd_
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