چکیده (انگلیسی):

This empirical study examines the current CSR practices of Telecom organizations in Bangladesh such as Grameenphone Ltd, Banglalink, and Teletalk Bangladesh Ltd. It documents the common people’s perception and evaluation about the CSR practices of telecom industries in Bangladesh. By focusing on the current boom of mobile operators and their ever increasing subscribers in Bangladesh, this paper further analyzes what has currently been practiced as part of CSR activities and what ordinary people think and evaluate these practices. Such analysis will reveal the rhetoric vs. realities of CSR practices of the booming telecom industries in Bangladesh with millions of subscribers and billion-dollar revenue earnings each year. Although CSR practices have been considered as part of a major business ethics globally, this paper documents a very glaring picture of such practices in Bangladesh. Many common people just believe that CSR practices are just cosmetic, rhetoric, and in paper only without any substantial impact in real life. This paper highlights some expectations of the common people from the telecom organizations in Bangladesh, thereby suggesting some propositions for further strengthening their CSR activities. Methodologically, this study has incorporated views from different stakeholders and beneficiaries of telecom industries in Bangladesh. A mixed method, using both qualitative and quantitative techniques has been adopted to have desirable outcomes. This study suggests that a real sharing of revenue earned from telecom industries through CSR activities may contribute towards a more livable, sustainable and equitable society.