Wirelessly

Authorities in Bangladesh issued orders to mobile phone operators to stop offering free calls after midnight. Why? To protect the morals of young people!



The story goes like this:



A telecom regulator there said a large number of parents of youngsters complained that their children were using the free service build romantic relations - a strict ‘No-No’ in the country. They said that the youngsters were losing sleep and some indulged in what was termed as ‘vulgar talk’ (phone sex?).



In a communication to all the 5 Bangladesh cellular networks, the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission said the post midnight free calls offers were being ‘abused’ by the youngsters.



Grameen Phone, Bangladesh’s biggest mobile phone operator says it will meet its competitors to try to come up with a joint response to this bizarre order. They said that they were taken aback by the order that the regulator says must be obeyed with immediate effect.



Bangladesh has witnessed an explosion in the number of mobile subscribers with millions of users signing up every month. It has really brought about a sea change in the way communications were made and changed the pace of businesses resulting in massive economic development.



On this spokesman rightly quipped;

If the authorities wish to stop young people meeting each other, by the same logic, fast food restaurants and universities should be shut down, too.