Telenor Chair, CEO meet Tarana

A high-level delegation from Telenor Group paid a courtesy visit to state minister for posts and telecommunications Tarana Halim, MP at her ministry office yesterday.

Telenor ASA Chair Gunn W`rsted President and CEO of Telenor Group Sigve Brekke led the delegation, said a press release.

They discussed the state of the telecom industry in Bangladesh, the opportunities for digital empowerment, and Telenor`s long-term commitment to Bangladesh through Grameenphone and the continuing digital transformation of the telecommunication industry.

Grameenphone CEO Petter B. Furberg and GP Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Mahmud Hossain were also present during the meeting.

Telenor Group was a co-founder of Grameenphone and has been a majority shareholder since 1996. With the support of Telenor Group, Grameenphone has had a successful development, and is currently one of the most significant financial contributors in Bangladesh as well as the largest listed company on the Bangladeshi Stock Exchanges.

Telenor Group, which is majority owned by the Norwegian Government, is among the largest international investors in the country, with more than US$ 1.18 billion of investments over the last five years. In addition to the mobile operation, Telenor Group has established Telenor Health in Bangladesh and is a minority shareholder in the online marketplace, Ekhanei.

Both W`rsted and Brekke reiterated the importance of governments, businesses and organizations working together to stimulate digital growth and build shared value in Bangladesh.

They referred to Grameenphone`s cumulative contribution to the economy as well as the socio-economic wellbeing of the people of Bangladesh since 1997 through provision of mobile network and internet for all in Bangladesh.

Calling for the introduction of technology neutrality in all spectrum bands to provide high-quality mobile internet for all, Mr. Brekke stressed that Telenor was committed to continuing to support GP in bolstering the Bangladesh economy and "playing an active role in the digitalization of the country."

The Telenor Group CEO apprised the state minister of KPMG`s recent Global Impact Report that reported that Telenor had invested $1,176m in the Bangladesh economy, $248 million of which was invested in 2015, over the last five years.

The report also suggested that with a subscriber base of over 56 million subscribers, Grameenphone`s services in Bangladesh had contributed $24 billion to GDP growth between 2011 and 2015.

The Telenor Chair and the Telenor Group President and CEO were in Dhaka on a one-day visit to Grameenphone and met the State Minister as part of their trip.