The telecom division today directed mobile phone operators to ensure fair royalty to artists for using their songs and recitations as users' call tunes or welcome tunes.

In a joint meeting with the mobile phone operators, regulator and artists, State Minister for Telecom Tarana Halim directed the operators to sign a deal with the artists' association, not with any third party, for using the contents.

Bangladesh Lyricists, Composers and Performers Society have already been certified by the cultural affairs ministry and they can now play a role for the artists, said Tarana after the meeting.

"From now on, operators will not sign any deal with any content providers which turned out a monopoly business at the cost of the artists," said Tarana.