1. HRM Practices in Banglalink: Staffing and Workforce
Planning

2. HRM Practices in Banglalink: Staffing and Workforce
Planning
Submitted ToMr. Neaz Ahmed
Professor
IBA
University Of Dhaka
Submitted ByQazi Arka Rahman (Roll-44)
Sadman Prodhan (Roll-47)
Riyad Hassan Gourab (Roll- 57)
Batch- 48D
Date of Submission:- 19th May 2013
Institute of Business Administration
University of Dhaka

3. Letter of Transmittal
19th May 2013
Mr. Neaz Ahmed
Professor
IBA
University of Dhaka
Sir,
Here is the report on “HRM practices in Banglalink: Staffing and Workforce Planning” that
you asked us to prepare.
We tried to follow the guidelines that you provided us throughout the semester, in preparing the
report. Working with such an interesting report given us the opportunity to achieve knowledge
and experience about the HRM functions and practices of a leading telecom company operating
in Bangladesh. This task was quite challenging and we thoroughly enjoyed working on
preparing this report.
In preparing this report we had to take some appointments and interviews of personnel working
in Banglalink. We would like to thank MR. and Mr. for their helpful approach towards us. We
also would like to extend our gratitude towards Mr. without whom the report wouldn’t had
completed.
We would be extremely delighted and honored if you accept the report and recognize the hard
work and devotion we put on preparing this report. We truly appreciate this assignment, and
should you need any assistance, please call on us.
Sincerely,
Qazi Arka Rahaman (44)
Sadman Prodhan (47)
Riyad Hassan Gourab (57)
Batch- 48D

4. Introduction
Origin of the Study:
The report on HRM practices in Banglalink: Staffing and Workforce Planning is to be
conducted for Mr. Neaz Ahmed, Course Instructor, Managing people at work, Institute of
Business Administration, Dhaka University. Mr. Ahmed orally authorized us to conduct the study
of HRM functions in an existing corporate company to develop our understanding of Human
Resource Management as for the partial fulfillment of MBA program. During the study we
communicated with Mr. and Mr.
. We would like to express our warm gratitude to them
because without them this report would not have been possible. Their help is highly appreciated
and we would be delighted if we could assist them in their work.
Objectives:
Broad Objective:
Understanding the features of HRM in real business situation, going beyond the academic
theories to develop our career and education in the professional organization.
Specific Objective:
Learning and developing the ideas of business practices observing the “Staffing and workforce
planning processes” of Human Resource Management under the company “Banglalink”.
Identifying the business nature of the HR functions is the core of our study.

5. Methodology:
Primary sources
 Structured interviews were conducted to people involved in HR Management Team of
Banglalink.
 Further, an unstructured interview was conducted to
Secondary sources
 Annual report
 Various publications
 Website
Scope of the Study:
The report cannot say anything about the internal technical matter of the HR Programs of
Banglalink as they are confidential information. The report also does not cover elaborately HR
planning because every company has its own secret workforce planning recipe.
Limitation of the Study:

As we are in our very preparatory part of the HRM course, it is difficult for us to make the
assessment more complete.

There were some restrictions to have access to the information confidential by concern
authority.

6. History of the company
Banglalink is today the 2nd largest mobile operator in the country and has recently celebrated
with 1.5 crore customers.
Sheba Telecom (Pvt.) Ltd. was granted license in 1989 to operate in the rural areas of 199
upazilas. Later it obtained GSM license in 1996 to extend its business to cellular mobile, radio
telephone services. It launched operation in the last quarter of 1997 as a Bangladesh-Malaysia
joint venture.
In July, 2004, it was reported that Egypt based Orascom Telecom is set to purchase the
Malaysian stakes in Sheba Telecom through a hush-hush deal, as Sheba had failed to tap the
business potentials in Bangladesh mainly due to a chronic feud between its Malaysian and
Bangladeshi partners. An agreement was reached with Orascom worth US$25 million was
finalized in secret. The pact has been kept secret for legal reasons, considering financial fallout
and because of the feud.
The main reason for the undercover dealing was the joint venture agreement between the
Bangladeshi and the Malaysian partners, which dictates that if any party sells its Sheba shares,
the other party will enjoy the first right to buy that.
Integrated Services Ltd. (ISL), the Bangladeshi partner, was being ‘officially’ shown as
purchasing the shares held by Technology Resources Industries (TRI) of Malaysia for $15
million. ISL then paid another $10 million to Standard Chartered Bank to settle Sheba's
liabilities.
In September, 2004, Orascom Telecom Holdings purchased 100% of the shares of Sheba
Telecom (Pvt.) Limited (“Sheba”). It was acquired for US$60 million. Sheba had a base of
59,000 users, of whom 49,000 were regular when it was sold. Afterward it was re-branded and
launched its services under the “Banglalink” brand on February 10, 2005. Banglalink’s license
is a nationwide 15-year GSM license and will expire in November, 2011.
In March, 2008, Sheba Telecom (Pvt.) Limited changed its name as Orascom Telecom
Bangladesh Limited, matching its parent company name.

7. Organizational Structure
Structure provided by Banglalink itself.
CEO
COMMERCIAL
FINANCIAL
TECHNICAL
CCO
CFO
CTO
CUSTOMER CARE
DIRECTOR
SALES
DIRECTOR
CASH
MANAGEMENT
ACCOUNT
CONTROLLER
REVENUE
ASSURANCE
ACCESS NETWORK
Sr. MANAGER
CORE NETWORK
Sr. MANAGER
HR &
ADMINISTRATION
INFORMATION
TECHONOLOGY
DIRECTOR
(IT)
HUMAN
RESOURCE
APPLICATION
ADMINISTRATION
INFRUSTRUCTURE
SUPPORT
Sr. MANAGER
MARKETING
DIRECTOR
BUDGET CONTROL
Sr. MANAGER
PROCUREMENT
Sr.MANAGER
INENTORY
CONTROL
Sr. MANAGER
ORGANIZE &
MAINTENENCE
BILLING
Sr. MANAGER
NETWORK
QUALITY
Sr. MANAGER
HELP DESK

8. It is here by noted that, HR director holds two functional dept. under his direct supervision.
HR & ADMINISTRATION
DIRECTOR
HUMAN
RESOURCE
ADMINISTRATION
COMPENSATION
EMPLOYEE
RELATIONSHIP
ORGANIZATION
DEVELOPEMENT
COMMERCIAL & SALES
ORANIZATION
DEVELOPEMENT
IT
LOGISTICS
WARE HOUSE

9. Employee Overview
Employee Portfolio
Company Size
Common Job Titles
5,000 employees; 2,000 are direct employees and the rest are
indirect
Manager
11%
Executive
10%
Engineer
8%
Zonal Sales Manager 6%
Senior Engineer
Median Age
Gender
5%
28 years
Male
89%
Female 11%
Management Team
managing director & chief executive officer
» Ahmed Abou Doma
chief financial officer
» Mohamed Hassan Osman
chief technical officer
» Ahmed Fady
chief commercial officer
» Asher Yaqub Khan
sales director
» Arif Mehmood Malik
customer care director
» Muhammad Arshad
human resources & administration director
» Tarek Beram
head of pmo & supply chain
» Abdus Saboor
regulatory & legal affairs director
» Zakiul Islam
information technology director
» Nizar el-Assad
company secretary
» M Nurul Alam

10. List of HRM Functions
Here is a list of the HRM functions that are practiced in BANGLALINK. The list was made
according to their mentioned categories by asking them specifically.

Workforce planning

Recruitment (sometimes separated into attraction and selection)

Induction, Orientation and On-boarding

Skills management

Training and development

HR Personnel administration

Compensation in wage or salary

Payroll (sometimes assigned to accounting rather than HRM)

Employee benefits administration

Personnel cost planning

Performance appraisal

Labor relations