Postal Department to introduce mobile money order services, call centres

DHAKA, Bangladesh, July 17 (BSS)- Bangladesh Postal Department is going to introduce mobile money order services and call centres,
official sources said here today.

Introduction of the new services, based on 8,200 village post
offices around the country, is expected to raise not only the
income but also restore the department's glory, the sources said.

The department suffered Taka 150 crore during the last
fiscal, the sources added.

The postal department has already signed a corporate
agreement with grameenphone to introduce the new digitalised
services.

Under the new services, three staff members who man each of
the 8200 rural post offices are also going to be benefited. They
are now paid a salary of Taka 750 per month. Their pleas for pay
hikes have remained unanswered so far.

Under the new scheme, a village postal employee will receive
one mobile phone set. grameenphone will provide mobile sets along
with SIM cards at a nominal price.

The price for the sets would be adjusted by Taka 100 from
their monthly salary of Taka 750.

The people would be able to avail of services of these sets
at a nominal price. The revenue turnover will be shared by the
three employees of rural pots offices, expecting to raise their
monthly income as well by another Taka 700 at least, the sources
said.

The mobile phone company will pay five percent to the postal
department from the revenues out of use of these sets. The postal
department is expected to have an additional Taka 150 to 200
crore annually, the sources said.

Explaining the new services, Director General of Postal
Department Mobasherur Rahman told BSS that the department will
introduce the new mobile money order services.

Under the new system, a certain amount of money will remain
at village post offices. Money will be paid to recipients through
identification by mobile phones.

The DG said the postal department now handles 14 to 15 crore
letters from which it earns Taka 34 to 35 crore. The department
will have further income with the introduction of another
initiative by the government to bring the courier and carrier
services under new regulations of licensing.

Under the proposed regulation, a regulatory wing of the
postal department will have the authority of issuing licenses and
cancellation of registrations.

The DG further said that annually the courier services
handles seven to eight crore letters. The postal department could
earn a revenue of Taka 7 crore from their service charges.