Tin For Int'l Connection
Women phone operators to feel the pinch
Mustak Hossain
The regulatory order that has made submission of tax identification number (TIN) mandatory to subscribe international telephone connection will badly hurt the business of women telephone operators under Village Phone (VP) programme, industry sources speculate.The statutory regulatory order (SRO) issued recently by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) is applicable to both mobile and fixed-line international telephone connections. "The new SRO was aimed at boosting the government's revenue by widening the VAT (Value-added Tax) net," an NBR official said. But, "by no means, those poor ladies [women VP operators] can afford to have TINs," said a telecom industry source. Under the VP programme, Grameen Bank distributes loans to rural poor women to buy cellphone sets and subscribe GrameenPhone services. According to a study, the programme "yields significant positive social and economic impacts, including relatively large consumer surplus and immeasurable quality of life benefits."
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