SIM re-registration between Sep 13 and Dec 13

The government is launching a three-month campaign from Sep 13 for re-registration of all mobile SIM cards to prevent mobile-phone crimes.

State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim told reporters on Wednesday the campaign will help those with proper registration to verify their SIMs.

SIMs without proper registration detected during verification will have to be re-registered.

Halim told members of the ‘Telecom Reporters Network Bangladesh’ during a meeting at the secretariat that details of the verification and re-registration process would be made public by Sunday.

There were 128.7 million mobile-phone subscribers in Bangladesh until July, BTRC data showed.

Outgoing BTRC Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose said steps were being taken to enable online SIM verification.

The telecoms regulator is trying to provide mobile operators access to the national identity card (NID) server.

“We’ll have a loop of the [NID] server and will be able to monitor the process if we want,” he said.

State Minister Halim said they would provide a list of ‘illegal’ SIMs to the home ministry after the re-registration process ended on Dec 13.

Mobile phone operators have been ordered to make a ‘database to verify’ SIM distributors and retail sellers.

“It’s a warning to people committing crimes using mobile SIMs,” she said. “We want to end the debate over illegal SIMs.”

BTRC chief Bose said the operators had technology to identify unregistered or illegal SIMs.

On Oct 11, 2012, the BTRC decided to stop the sale of pre-activated SIMs and fine operators $50 for each unregistered SIM but the decision was not executed.

Allegations have it that most mobile operators are not eager to register SIMs and try to pass the blame for the sale of unregistered SIMs onto the retailers.

State Minister Halim said the law to fine the operators $50 for each unregistered SIM will be effective after the Election Commission signs a deal to give them access to the NID server.

“I believe the people will assist us in greater interest… to combat militancy and end illegal VoIPs,” she said when asked if the re-registration process would cause any problems for those having properly registered SIMs.