BTRC orders telecom operators to stop services to Rohingyas in seven days
Senior Correspondent, bdnews24.com
Published: 02 Sep 2019 04:44 PM BdST Updated: 03 Sep 2019 12:08 AM BdST
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulator Commission has ordered mobile phone operators to ensure in seven days that the Rohingya refugees do not get access to mobile phones.
The telecom regulator wrote to the operators on Sunday regarding the issue, BTRC Senior Assistant Director Md Zakir Hossain Khan told bdnews24.com.
“You were instructed to ensure that the Rohingya people do not get access to the mobiles for the sake of state security and importance, law and order and public safety," says the directive.
“But the commission has received information through the Rohingya camp visiting committees and various newspapers, media outlets, law enforcement and intelligence agencies that Rohingya community is using SIMs/RIMs on a large scale," the BTRC said.
“Under this circumstances, you are requested not to sale any SIM, to stop the use of the SIM by the Rohingya community, and ensure that the Rohingya community is not provided with mobile facilities and inform the BTRC within the next seven working days about the measures."
The directive was issued after taking instruction from Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar.
Addressing the BTRC order, Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) Secretary General SM Farhad said, "Mobile operators are always committed to ensuring compliant practices by following the directives provided by BTRC. They will take appropriate measures regarding the issue.
"It is also necessary to mention that SIMs can only be activated after the bio-metric confirmation from the NID database."
Shahed Alam, chief corporate and regulatory officer of Robi Axiata Ltd, believes the issue can be redressed through "proper registration and usage of individuals in the NID database".
"We would like to categorically state that it is not possible for anyone to avail a new SIM connection without proper biometric verification of an individual’s identity with the NID database," he said.
-
PM Hasina gives Tk 105m to the poor
-
Hifazat leader Ataullah Amin arrested
-
NTV journalist held in Khulna
-
29% of first-shot recipients fully vaccinated
-
Some domestic flights from Wednesday
-
Mamunul incited riots to grab power: police
-
Govt extends virus lockdown to Apr 28
-
17 return from India with COVID
-
PM Hasina gives Tk 105m in relief to the poor during virus lockdown
-
RAB arrests Hifazat leader Ataullah Amin
-
NTV journalist Abu Tayeb arrested in digital security case in Khulna
-
29pc of first-dose recipients in Bangladesh are fully vaccinated
-
Bangladesh to partially resume domestic flights on Wednesday
-
Hifazat leader Mamunul incited riots to grab power: police
Most Read
- Rickshaws and cars are back. Street scenes in Dhaka begin to change in lockdown
- Bangladesh to resume China flights in pandemic
- Hifazat leader Mamunul incited riots to grab power: police
- Bangladesh police introduce pass for ‘movement’ in lockdown
- Bangladesh extends virus lockdown by one week to Apr 28
- Bangladesh to partially resume domestic flights on Wednesday
- Bangladesh reports 4,559 new virus cases, 91 deaths in a day
- President of Chad is killed as soldiers clash with rebels
- Hifazat leader Mamunul has 3 wives, only one marriage is registered: police
- Bangladesh grounds all flights for another week in lockdown