Mostofa Jabbar likely to get TSS charge

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked the authorities concerned to give the information technology specialist Mostofa Jabbar the responsibility of reviving Telephone Shilpa Sangstha (TSS), which is in a rather sorry state, on August 6, at the second meeting of the Digital Bangladesh Taskforce. Jabbar, however, told The Independent that he was yet to receive any formal letter on the issue. “I will take up the responsibility after receiving an official letter,” said Jabbar.
The ICT specialist, however, has visited TSS, in Tongi, Gazipur, in the meantime. He has chalked out a plan for the uplift of the organisation, but is yet to finalise any roadmap regarding this. Following large-scale malpractices in connection with the Doel laptop project, the institution has virtually failed to market any devices.
According to the TSS website, the available products of the organisation are: PSTN telephone set, PABX system, digital meter, mobile battery and charger, maintenance-free battery, cell-phone and Doel laptop. The institution has plans to introduce some new products, such as solar panel, ADSL modem, SDH MUX and rectifier.
Yet, five of the seven available products cannot be currently found in the market.
Jabbar thinks it is possible to make the organisation a profitable one, though it is logging losses every year, with its staff of around 300.
“Only 100 employees have work, while the rest have no work. But the government is disbursing all their salaries every
month, as it is unable to cut jobs because of the workers’
union,” TSS sources said. Expressing enthusiasm to boost
the organisation, Jabbar said, “Digital devices are needed to build a digital Bangladesh. If TSS is able to make 20 per cent of any digital device,I think it will be a great achievement for the organisation.”
 Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina unveiled the Doel laptop on October 11, 2011, to distribute and sell local laptops at a lower cost. But it was found that the state-owned Telephone Shilpa Sangstha Ltd, the company in charge of producing and distributing the laptops, had failed to make it productive.
When the project was launched, it was said the laptops would be supplied to government organisations. TSS built a large number of laptops without any work order from any government office. “But it did not take any initiative to sell the laptops in the market,” said Jabbar.
“Till November 2011, TSS had no marketing policy. There was no dealer. There was no plan even for selling the laptops already in stock. We did not know how common people will get the laptop,” added Jabbar.
“TSS has a massive opportunity to build the Doel laptop and mobile phone. I am hopeful it will be able to take advantage of this,” the IT specialist said.

 

Mostofa Jabbar likely to get TSS charge

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked the authorities concerned to give the information technology specialist Mostofa Jabbar the responsibility of reviving Telephone Shilpa Sangstha (TSS), which is in a rather sorry state, on August 6, at the second meeting of the Digital Bangladesh Taskforce. Jabbar, however, told The Independent that he was yet to receive any formal letter on the issue. I will take up the responsibility after receiving an official letter, said Jabbar. The ICT specialist, however, has visited TSS, in Tongi, Gazipur, in the meantime. He has chalked out a plan for the uplift of the organisation, but is yet to finalise any roadmap regarding this. Following large-scale malpractices in connection with the Doel laptop project, the institution has virtually failed to market any devices. According to the TSS website, the available products of the organisation are: PSTN telephone set, PABX system, digital meter, mobile battery and charger, maintenance-free battery, cell-phone and Doel laptop. The institution has plans to introduce some new products, such as solar panel, ADSL modem, SDH MUX and rectifier. Yet, five of the seven available products cannot be currently found in the market. Jabbar thinks it is possible to make the organisation a profitable one, though it is logging losses every year, with its staff of around 300. Only 100 employees have work, while the rest have no work. But the government is disbursing all their salaries every month, as it is unable to cut jobs because of the workers union, TSS sources said. Expressing enthusiasm to boost the organisation, Jabbar said, Digital devices are needed to build a digital Bangladesh. If TSS is able to make 20 per cent of any digital device,I think it will be a great achievement for the organisation. Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina unveiled the Doel laptop on October 11, 2011, to distribute and sell local laptops at a lower cost. But it was found that the state-owned Telephone Shilpa Sangstha Ltd, the company in charge of producing and distributing the laptops, had failed to make it productive. When the project was launched, it was said the laptops would be supplied to government organisations. TSS built a large number of laptops without any work order from any government office. But it did not take any initiative to sell the laptops in the market, said Jabbar. Till November 2011, TSS had no marketing policy. There was no dealer. There was no plan even for selling the laptops already in stock. We did not know how common people will get the laptop, added Jabbar. TSS has a massive opportunity to build the Doel laptop and mobile phone. I am hopeful it will be able to take advantage of this, the IT specialist said.