Dhaka: State Minister for Posts and Telecommunication Tarana Halim on Thursday said they have taken initiatives to provide Smartphone to everyone on a monthly instalment of Tk 25 to Tk 30.

‘We are discussing with the mobile manufacturing companies for low-price Smartphone and they have assured us that it is possible to provide Smartphone at Taka 25-30 instalment,’ she added.

The state minister said this at the website launching ceremony of the Telecom Reporters’ Network, Bangladesh (TRNB), a platform of the journalists working in country’s telecommunication and ICT sectors, at her ministry office this morning.

Referring to her discussion with device and solution providing company Ericsson, Tarana Halim said: ‘They (Ericsson) have showed interest in manufacturing mobile phone chip in Bangladesh which would generate employment opportunities and help reduce handset price in the country.’

She said: ‘My aim is to ensure Smartphone in everybody’s hand at the grassroots level especially for farmers, labourers at Taka 1,500-2,000.

Launching the website http://trnb.org, the state minister hoped TRNB would provide updated information on the sector through the website. ‘We believe in transparency and accountability, that’s why there would be no bar on disseminating information on the website.’

Posts and Telecommunications Division Secretary Faizur Rahman Chowdhury, TRNB President Rashed Mehedi and General Secretary Shamim Ahmed, among others, were present on the occasion.