Bangladesh joined the information superhighway this month, and the first users are already browsing the Internet. Information Services Network Ltd, the company that pioneered Internet access, told Reuters it hopes to celebrate joining the Internet b y putting the results of this week’s general election on the first Bangla Web site, at http://www.bangla.net. Its market is limited by the number of computers, a shortage of telephone lines, and power cuts, but other service providers are expected to begin operations soon, it said. Users will be linked to the Internet by a 64Kbps satellite channel to a Hong Kong firm. It charges an up-front payment of $240 plus $24 for four hours of use per month. Additional time costs $0.07 per minute. With an annual per capita income of $240 a year, Bangladesh is estimated to have only 10,000 personal computers, but Information Services expects the number to rise substantially. It will pay the government an $86,750 annual license fee.
