GAZIPUR, May 4:- Eight lakh telephones and'other networks would be set up In the countty by the year 2000 in addition to the existing five lakh. Posts and Tele-communications Minister Mohammad Nasim said here yesterday, reports BSS.

"To maintain these telecommunications services, we need more trained and skilled manpower in the telecommunications sector." the minister said while inaugurating a training workshop on operation of packet switched public data network.

In all, 24 officers including eight from six countries are taking part in the two-week long workshop, organised by Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) in cooperation with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

Two ITU experts — BAGS Ramasharma from India and J D Silva from Sri Lanka — already arrived here to conduct pie workshop.

The foreign participants are.

from Bhutan, Cambodia. Laos, Myanmar. Nepal and Vietriam.

The inaugural function was also addressed by Director General of Tele-Com Staff College Habibur Rahman and BTTB Chairman M A Manna Chowdhury.

The Telecommunications Minister stressed the need for more training programmes to improve and update the quality of service to the subscribers following the rapid development in the sector.

Turning to the T & T officials he said "where you are now, you will be outdated in the days to come as the world telecommunications sector is moving very fast.

"So there, is no alternative but to receive training if you really want to sustain yourself with the fast moving world telecommunications." the minister said, adding that the national economic and social development is fully inter-related with the development of telecommunications.