Tele-tapping will hamper the growth and expansion of tele-communications businesses, especially cell phone business in Bangladesh. Talking to the FE, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Banglalink Lars P Reichelt said that he had hailed the government decision of stopping terrorism in the country but questioned why cell phone alone should be tapped. Reichelt also said the terrorists might use telephone and telegraph (T& T) line, private land phone from other countries through roaming and satellite phones. He expressed his resentment for not covering T&T and private service telephone network (PSTN) under the new system. Registration of new subscribers using new form begins today, where finger print and other information will be included under new registration system. Moreover, registration of all other subscribers has to be completed within the next two months. Reichelt expressed his concern of violating the privacy of subscribers by tele-tapping, which might ultimately compel the potential subscribers to abandon mobile phone. This would certainly create a negative impact on expansion of mobile phone operating business as well as its growth. He said out of more than 10 million subscribers, at best 0.005 per cent tele-tapping is possible, which is very insignificant to serve the purpose of the government. Talking to the FE, Manager of Corporate Sales of Banglalink Tanvir Ibrahim said no company would bear the cost of tele-tapping, as it is too expensive to shoulder such huge financial cost by any cell phone company. Reichelt said Banglalink itself has to bear an expenditure of US$ 8.0-9.0 million a year, which would increase the operating cost of the company and ultimately reduce operating profit to a great extent. The total expenses for completing this registration would create an additional burden of at least $80 million. Reichelt said it is very crucial for lawyer-client, doctor-patient relationship and communication to be secret and introduction of tele-tapping would undoubtedly violate the privacy of subscribers.
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