BTRC probing conflict of interest as its official's husband opens SIM card firm

The BTRC is investigating the launch of a company, which supplies international SIM, RIM and data cards, by the husband of an official of the regulators in a possible conflict of interest.

The Posts and Telecommunications Division instructed the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission recently to investigate the alleged breach of rules by international firms that supply the cards.

"The husband of a BTRC official owns one of the six licensed companies. Ask that official to explain the conflict of interest. She will be fired if the ministry finds her explanation unsatisfactory," said the telecom division in a Sept 7 letter.

Officials said the firm in question is 4DL Bangladesh Limited.

Its Managing Director Nizam Mohammed Uddin is the husband of Sharmin Sultana, senior assistant director, engineering and operation, BTRC.

bdnews24.com found Sharmin's phone switched off when it tried to contact her for comments on Thursday.

A BTRC official said Sharmin was in Indonesia on an official tour.

BTRC Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood told bdnews24.com that they were checking whether the involvement of Sharmin's husband Nizam with the SIM card industry is in breach of law.

"We will serve her a show-cause notice after checking the matter," he said.

Nizam's 4DL is among eight international SIM card companies to which the BTRC is sending letters asking for lists of their clients, according to officials.

A top official, requesting anonymity as he did not have permission to speak to the media on the matter, said the BTRC had given 'no objection certificate' to eight such companies, though the telecom division letter mentioned six firms.

The eight suppliers of SIM, RIM and data cards are UGI Trade Co, Intraco Limited, Hello Telecom, Sanchita Enterprise, Wings Tour and Travels, Okay Mobile, MS Bijoy Bangladesh Telecom and 4DL.

The BTRC chairman said if any of the companies is found to be in breach of the guidelines, it will lose its licence.

National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre or NTMC Director Brig Gen Ziaul Ahsan raised the issue at a BTRC meeting on security on Sept 7, according to the minutes of the meeting.

He said NTMC became certain through reliable sources and monitoring that some licensed companies were breaching the guideline for selling international SIM, RIM or data cards inside Bangladesh.

"It is completely illegal asper the BTRC guidelines and poses risk to state security," he added, according to the minutes of the meeting.

He also said the NTMC found that the clients of these firms were using their SIM cards inside Bangladesh, which is a violation of the law.

The authorities cannot trace the users and the calls made by these unregistered and roaming service-enabled cards, he said.

The BTRC said it had permitted Hajj pilgrims to use such cards on the basis of requisition by the religious affairs ministry.