Govt okays project to bring hill districts under strong telecom network

The government has approved a project to bring three hill districts --Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachari—under strong telecommunication facilities.

“We have increased the connectivity across the country in Chittagong hill tracts,” said Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal after cabinet committee on economic affairs on Wednesday.

The information and communication technology division put forward the proposal approved by the committee, he said.

He also said the Bangladesh Army will set the optical fiber cable to connect the districts.

According to the proposal, the government will install optical fibre cable in the districts, also known as Hill Tracts, under the concept of ‘Broadband Connectivity in Telecommunication Disadvantaged Areas (Connected Bangladesh)’. The project will cost Tk 15.96 crore.

The telecommunication facilities will be established under the Connected Bangladesh initiative taken by the Bangladesh Army.

A view to implementing Vision 2021, the government is working to establish strong, modern and high-capacity Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure across the country.

According to the information and communication technology ministry’s proposal, the project will enhance the usability, efficiency, transparency and quality of telecommunication services.