United News of Bangladesh

Mobile phone users will have to be compensated for call drops from October 1. That's the curt message from Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to telecom companies in this country. According to new BTRC guidelines issued on Monday, mobile phone operators will have to compensate their customers by refunding talk time for call drops with effect from October. Read: Govt has permanently blocked 22,000 porn sites and 6,000 gambling sites: Mustafa Jabbar The new guidelines were unveiled at a press briefing at the regulator's headquarters by BTRC chairman Shyam Sunder Sikder and Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar who was there as the chief guest. BTRC's New Guidelines: A customer can get information about the previous day/week/month's net call drop amount through common USSD code (*121*765#) -- applicable for all mobile phone operators -- from October 1. Mobile operators will compensate their subscribers with talk time of three pulses (30 seconds) for each call drop in case of 1st and 2nd call drops daily and four pulses (40 seconds) for each call drop in case of subsequent 3rd to 7th call drops as "financial and emotional loss." Read No more than 15 SIM cards under 1 NID: BTRC to deactivate extras Talk time refunded as compensation for call drops will be usable from the first call (00:00 hours) of the next day, which means no amount can be deducted from the customer's account for the call before the refunded talk time is fully utilised. The customer should be informed within the next 24 hours through SMSes about the talk time refunded as a result of call drops. An operator can refund the call minutes from that day of the occurrence of call drop if it wishes. A maximum period of 15 days will be applicable for the usage of the refunded talk time of the call drop. Read BTRC launches new unlimited data packages "If a customer receives a service by paying money, the operator should ensure proper service," Mustafa Jabbar said. “If telecom companies invest in telecommunications infrastructure rather than compensating customers, call drop rates will decrease,” he added.

TikTok could face a 27 million-pound ($29 million) fine in the U.K. over a possible breach of U.K. data protection law by failing to protect children’s privacy when they are using the video-sharing platform. The U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office said Monday that it has issued the social media company a legal document that precedes a potential fine. It said TikTok may have processed the data of children under 13 without appropriate parental consent, and processed “special category data” without legal grounds to do so. The commissioner said “special category data” included ethnic and racial origin, political opinions, religious beliefs and sexual orientation. It also said TikTok may have failed to provide transparent, easily understood information to its users. The legal document covered the period from May 2018 to July 2020. Information Commissioner John Edwards said the body’s provisional view was that TikTok “fell short” of providing proper data privacy protections. The body said its findings are not final and that it will consider any representations from TikTok before making a final decision. “While we respect the ICO’s role in safeguarding privacy in the U.K., we disagree with the preliminary views expressed and intend to formally respond to the ICO,” said a statement released by TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. Britain’s government is pushing through its online safety bill, which requires technology companies to protect children from harmful content. The Information Commissioner’s Office said it has six other ongoing investigations into companies that do not appear to have taken their responsibilities around child safety seriously enough.

US technology giant Apple has said it started assembling its iPhone 14 in India, world's second-largest smartphone market, to shift some production away from China. Apple partner Foxconn, which makes the majority of the world's iPhones, is producing the device at its Sriperumbudur factory near Chennai, marking the first time the company has shifted production from China to India this quickly after the launch of a new iPhone. The Cupertino-based giant began locally assembling smartphones in India in 2017, but those were older models. The marquee device will go on sale in India later this year, according to TechCrunch. JPMorgan said this month that Apple will move 5 percent of its global iPhone 14 production to India by late 2022, and could move 25 percent of its entire iPhone production line to the country by 2025. As part of their "China-plus one" or "China-plus two" strategy, major companies are now looking at India. Apple, which still relies heavily on China for the majority of iPhone production, is seeking alternatives as Xi Jinping's administration clashes with the US government and imposes lockdowns, hurting economic activities. Read: Price Drop: Is it the right time to buy an iPhone 13? The presence of the foreign production giants, coupled with ample labour resources and competitive labour costs, make India a desirable location, JP Morgan said. Also, the country has attracted investments from Apple manufacturing partners Foxconn and Wistron in recent years by offering lucrative subsidies. Many hope Apple will make its handsets affordable in India as the company expands its manufacturing capacity in the country. The base iPhone 14 model, which is priced at $799 in the US, costs 79,900 Indian rupees ($980); the entry iPhone Pro Max model costs $1,717 in India, compared to its $1,099 sticker price in the US, according to TechCrunch.    

Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar today said that robotics, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) will shape the future. The minister said this while attending a policy dialogue on safe use of technology in establishing peace and extending democracy, arranged by Bangladesh Enterprise Institute at a Dhaka hotel. Terming internet connectivity as mandatory for the digital age, Jabbar said that the government has taken up a project to bring the entire country under high speed internet. Read: No more than 15 SIM cards under 1 NID: BTRC to deactivate extras “To face the challenges posed by digital technology, first we need to eliminate digital divide. Everyone has to be digitally competent to enjoy the benefits of the upcoming technology-based world. If you keep your child away from the digital spheres, he/she will lag behind,” said Jabbar. Acknowledging that there are both good and bad sides of digital technology, the minister said that digital technology won’t have adverse impact on the state, society and people if everyone is also aware and cautious of its dark side. “The government has permanently blocked a total of 22,000 porn sites and 6,000 gambling sites. We’ve also achieved great success in removing harmful content from the virtual world through improving our ties with social media giants like Facebook and others. But such progress won’t be of any use if the consumers of digital technologies don’t practice restraint, which can only be done through digital literacy,” added Jabbar. Read Hijab protests: US takes action to increase Iranians’ access to internet The dialogue was presided over by Ambassador Humayun Kabir. Mezbah Uddin, Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and Charles Whiteley, Head of Delegations of the European Union (EU), among others, spoke at the event.

Walton Digi-Tech Industries has brought two new models of affordable mechanical keyboards.  Modelled as KM02 and KM03, the keyboards have advanced features, according to a media statement. Released in black and grey, KM02 and KM03 have 104 keys among which 25 are anti-ghost keys.  Read Mechanical Keyboard Buying Guide with the Price Range in Bangladesh The keyboards' special features include a backlight breathing function, 50 million times button life, US layout, USB interface, mechanical axis button, blue switch, and 1.5M exposed head USB cable.  Priced at Tk2,050 and Tk2,250, the new Walton mechanical keyboards can be purchased at Tk1,742 BDT and Tk1,912 from E-Plaza.  Read Asus ROG Phone 6D Review: Worth the price tag?

TikTok has brought a dual camera feature, TikTok Now, to enable its users to share their "most authentic moments with the people who matter the most" using their devices' front and back cameras. Users will receive a daily prompt to capture a 10-second video or a static photo to quickly and easily share what they are up to. TikTok Now can be accessed from both TikTok and the new TikTok Now app. In some countries, TikTok Now may be available within TikTok, downloadable as a new TikTok Now app, or available in both formats. TikTok will continue to enhance the user experience as it learns more about how the TikTok community embraces this new format. In TikTok Now, creators are in control of deciding who can view or engage with their content. They can block others and choose which comments appear on their content. Read: Tap teams up with Sonali Bank to launch inter-banking transaction services And if someone comes across behaviour they believe may violate the community guidelines, they can report it for review. If someone under the age of 16 creates an account to use the TikTok Now app, just like TikTok, their account will be private by default. Those under the age of 18 will not be able to share their content on the "explore" feed. People aged between 13 and 15 will have commenting options limited to "friends only."  

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is going to deactivate additional SIM (subscriber identity module) cards of those who have more than 15 registered under a national identity (NID) card soon. As per the recent BTRC decision, a subscriber is allowed to register maximum 15 SIM cards against his/her NID, BTRC Vice Chairman Subrata Roy Maitra told UNB today. Read:BTRC places indefinite suspension on GP SIM card sale Additional SIM cards are registered against one NID – analogue and digital, he said. The telecom regulator has urged subscribers to deactivate additional SIM cards against one NID from the respective customer care centres. Read: BTRC launches new unlimited data packages Besides, BTRC is collecting data of such SIM cards registered with one NID to take action. On June 20, 2016, BTRC decided that 20 SIM cards can be registered against one NID card and later it reduced the number to five on August, 2017. On October 24, 2017, the commission revised its decision and set the number at 15.

Apple unveiled the new iPhone 14 at their September event. The new phone features emergency satellite connectivity and car crash detection technology. The company released four versions (iPhone 14, 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max) of the new handset at their headquarters in Cupertino. All these variations come with different storage capabilities and features. Hence, the price is also different. The base price of the iPhone 14 is $799 in the USA, while the maximum price will be around $1,600 for the 14 Pro Max. If you want to buy from other countries, you will need to spend a bit more depending on the tax and conversion rate. Let’s look at which countries' iPhone 14 models are the cheapest. Read Apple's iPhone 14 Review: A revamped iPhone 13? 9 Countries to Buy Cheapest iPhone 14 from The iPhone is a dream phone for many, especially for those who live outside the USA. People often buy iPhones from a country where they can get it at a cheaper price. If you’re excited about the latest iPhone 14, you can try buying it from the following countries. USA In the United States, iPhones are usually cheaper than other countries. There are a number of reasons for this, but the two most important are no import duties, and it is a US-based company. Economies of scale also play a role in making the iPhone cheaper in the US. Apple is able to produce more iPhones in the US than it can in other countries due to the greater demand and availability of manufacturing resources. As a result, Apple is able to spread the cost of production over a larger number of units, resulting in lower prices for consumers. Read iPhone 14 Series Launch: What are the new features? For all these reasons, you can get the cheapest iPhone 14 in the USA for $799. So, if you can buy it from the USA, the price will be BDT 83,458 ($1= BDT 104.45). The iPhone 14 Pro Max will cost $999, which is BDT 1,04,349.55 ($1= BDT 104.45). Canada Canada is another cheapest country to get an iPhone 14. You can get it for CAD 1099. So, if you can bring it from Canada to Bangladesh, you can get it for BDT 87,047 (CAD 1= BDT 79.20). The iPhone 14 Pro is priced at CAD 1,399 in Canada, which will cost you BDT 1,10,812.87 (CAD 1= BDT 79.20). Hong Kong The iPhone 14’s price in Hong Kong is comparatively less in Hong Kong than in Bangladesh. You can buy an iPhone 14 for HK$6,899 which will be BDT 91,816.10 (HK$1 = BDT 13.31). For the 14 Max you will need to spend HK$ 8,599 which is equivalent to BDT 1,14,440.73 (HK$1 = BDT 13.31). Read iPhone 14 launch: Game-changing emergency services via satellite Singapore Since Singapore is a technology-oriented country, you can expect an iPhone 14 at a lower price there. The buying price will be S$1,299 for 14, which is BDT 96,384.37 (S$1 = BDT 74.24). On the other hand, the 14 Pro will be S$1649 or BDT 1,22,353.98 (S$1 = BDT 74.24). Australia The iPhone 14 will cost A$1,399 which is equivalent to BDT 98,547.19 (A$1 = BDT 70.44). But, if you want to buy 14 Pro from Australia, it will cost you A$ 1,749 or BDT 1,23,201.60 (A$1 = BDT 70.44). With these With this price, you may also get AppleCare+, which provides extended warranty coverage and 24/7 technical support. When you factor in all of these features and benefits, the price of the iPhone 14 Pro starts to look a lot more reasonable. Read Oppo A57 Review: Key specs, pros and cons UAE The United Arab Emirates is another cheap option for buying an iPhone. The iPhone 14 is priced at AED 3,399 in UAE. That being said, you can buy it for BDT 96,659.27 (AED 1= BDT 28.44) in Emirates. For the iPhone 14 Pro the price is AED 4,299 or BDT 1,22,253.07 (AED 1= BDT 28.44). Malaysia Apart from the official Apple store, you can also buy iPhones from other local retail stores too. In general, Malaysian retailers offer a significant discount on new phones, making it possible to find a device for hundreds of dollars less than the retail price in other countries. However, for the newly launched iPhones, you will not get any benefits from local retailers. iPhone 14 will cost RM 4,199 or BDT 96,714.98 (RM 1 = BDT 23.13) in Malaysia. 14 Pro is priced at RM 5,299, which will be 1,22,051.12 in Bangladeshi Taka. Read Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review: Multitasking King for Utilitarian Users Japan Japan is also a cheap option to buy an iPhone, which you may not think of. The iPhone 14 will cost 1,19,800 Japanese Yen which is BDT 87,204.07 (1 Japanese Yen = BDT 0.73). On the other hand, the iPhone 14 Pro will cost 149,800 Japanese Yen or BDT 109041.49 (1 Japanese Yen = BDT 0.73). India Since India is a neighboring country, we tend to buy gadgets from India. However, buying an iPhone from India will not be a good idea compared to the countries we have mentioned above. Indian should be your last option. Although India is an Asian country and income is less than first world countries, the iPhone is not cheaper here. iPhone 14 will cost ₹79,900.00  which is BDT 1,04,670.45 (₹1 = BDT 1.31). For the 14 Pro, you will need to pay ₹129900.00 or BDT 1,70,171.36. (₹1 = BDT 1.31). Read Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 Review: Is this flip phone worth buying? Final Words If you are looking to buy an iPhone 14 in Bangladesh, you may need to pay 1 Lac Taka or more than that. That’s why buying from other countries will be cheaper. Just ordering and paying online will not get you the iPhone 14 at a cheap cost from other countries as you need to pay shipping costs and taxes. So, in that case, you are paying a high cost. That’s why it will be best if you can bring through any friend or relative who is coming to Bangladesh. They can carry at least one iPhone without paying tax in Bangladesh. Thus, you can just pay them according to the exchange rate. This process will save you a lot of money. So far, we have mentioned 9 countries where you can buy iPhone 14 at the lowest price ranges. Please note that all the prices we have mentioned here are for the 128GB versions. For 256GB or more, you need to visit the respective Apple website to know the actual price. Read Top 10 mobile phones coming to Bangladesh in September 2022

Bangladesh's Walton has expanded its business in the eastern European country Georgia by exporting smart TVs. The company hopes that the export will pave the way for expanding its TV business in other eastern European countries like Armenia and Azerbaijan. Also read: Walton TV gets good response in Romania Samin Yasar, the market in-charge of Walton Global Business Division in Georgia, said: "This year, a famous Georgian electronics marketing company has partnered with us to distribute Walton TVs to its market. In June this year, the Georgian company received the first shipment of Walton TVs. The second shipment of Walton TVs will be sent to Georgia very soon." "Also, Walton TVs are now available on Georgia's e-commerce platforms." Read Walton TV gets good response in Romania Syed Al Imran, vice-president of Walton Global Business Division for Europe, said: "Walton started exporting TVs to the European market in 2019. Since then, it has successfully expanded its TV export to around 16 countries in western and central Europe, including Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Poland, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Italy, and Romania."

Bangladesh and Japan can develop “ICT bridges” as the latter faces shortage of young ICT engineers, says a Japanese expert. “The two countries can support each other. I hope young Bangladeshis go to Japan and have some experience… It is not a one-way support,” Dr Kano Tsuyoshi, co-founder and CEO of ICT for Development (NPO), Japan, told UNB today. Responding to a question, Dr Kano, also an associate professor at Kanazawa Institute of Technology, Japan said he is eager to support young Bangladeshi ICT engineers. Read Present world is not of competition but collaboration: Palak While talking to this correspondent at Jatiya Press Club (JPC), the Japanese expert said digital human resources are one of the important factors for the ICT sector’s development in Bangladesh. “Digital human resources in Bangladesh can be ICT bridges between the country and Japan,” said the Japanese expert. He said if young Bangladeshi professionals go to Japan and come back to Bangladesh after 10 to 20 years, both countries will be benefitted.   Dr Kano said Japan has a big challenge — shortage of ICT engineers — because it is becoming an “aging society” and the number of young people is inadequate. Read: Bangladesh gets drug, precursor test kits from Japan through UNODC “Young ICT engineers are not many in Japan,” he said, adding that in Bangladesh, many young people do not get jobs immediately after graduation, even in the ICT sector, due to lack of required skills. The Japanese expert said these two challenges — shortage of ICT engineers in Japan and shortage of good jobs in Bangladesh — can be addressed through cooperation and collaboration. Dr Kano, who is visiting Bangladesh at the invitation of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Japanese Embassy in Dhaka, is scheduled to leave Dhaka on Tuesday. Read IBBL ICT wing holds discussion, hosts iftar party He said both soft and hard skills can be obtained through global experiences and the two countries can make ICT business relationships stronger. The number of Japanese companies operating in Bangladesh has tripled in the past 10 years with an increased attention from ICT companies (offshoring, development center, recruitment, etc.).  On Sunday, he delivered a lecture on “ICT Bridge between Bangladesh and Japan” at ICT Division, joined by more than 100 people – government officials, industry people and students. Read KUET partners with Huawei to set up ICT academy