Bangladesh Network Collects Award

The Bangladesh GSM network, GrameenPhone has been adjudged the Best Joint Venture Enterprise of the Year at the Bangladesh Business Awards 2002. GrameenPhone was given the award "in recognition of its outstanding success as a telecommunications company and invaluable contribution to the economic development of Bangladesh," read the award certification.

Jointly organized by The Daily Star, the leading English-language daily in the country, and DHL Worldwide Express, the Bangladesh Business Awards is the pre-eminent award in the business arena of the country. The Best Joint Venture Award category was included in the Bangladesh Business Awards for the first time this year.

Finance Minister M.Saifur Rahman handed over the awards at a colorful ceremony in a local hotel on March 14, 2003. The other recipients of the awards were: Micro Electronics Limited, a leading manufacturer of electronic items, as the Best Enterprise of the Year, Managing Director of Adcomm Ltd., a leading advertising agency, Geeteara Safiya Chowdhury as the Outstanding Woman in Business of the Year and Chairman of Apex Group, a leading company involved in manufacturing and exporting leather goods, Syed Manzur Elahi as the Best Businessperson of the Year 2002.

Congratulating the recipients of the Bangladesh Business Awards, the Finance Minister said that such recognitions will inspire the business community to reach greater heights.

GrameenPhone started its operations on March 26, 1997 as a joint venture between four companies from as many countries: Grameen Telecom of Bangladesh, Telenor AS of Norway, Marubeni Corp. of Japan and Gonofone Development Corp. of the United States. GrameenPhone presently has more than 820,000 subscribers, commanding 70% of the market share.

Accepting the Award, GrameenPhone Managing Director Ola Ree said, "this is definitely not a one-person success. The success of GrameenPhone came because of the excellent support of our shareholders and the professionalism and commitment of our employees".

He also noted that GrameenPhone is presently the second largest corporate tax- payer in the country while some 30,000 people directly or indirectly depend on GrameenPhone for their livelihood."

Posted to the site on 17th June 2003