Staff Reporter :Moblie phone call and SIM cards will be costlier as proposed by Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the budget for 2015-16 fiscal.”I propose to impose five percent supplementary duty on the services provided through SIM and RUIM card of mobile phone,” the Minister said.This effectively means that a call which cost Tk 1 per minute at present will cost five paisa more if the finance minister’s proposal goes through without amendment.Also, the minister has proposed to impose a levy of Tk 100 on both sale and replacement of a mobile SIM card. Previously, the issuance of a SIM card cost Tk 300 and replacement Tk 100.Now, the Minister proposes Tk 400 for SIM issuance and Tk 200 for SIM replacement.Also due to the popularity of mobile phones, Muhith said, the government has planned to provide health services through mobile phones in 64 district and 418 upazila hospitals.Side by side, those health complexes will continue to provide health services through video conference also.At present, the number of mobile phone users was 12.47 crore and the number of internet users has been 4.56 crore at the end of April.
