Bangladesh
Illegal Mobile Handsets BTRC, Ministry backtrack on disconnecting illegal mobile handsets
Dhaka, October 22: Just empty words! The announcement made by the Ministry of Telecommunications to stop illegal mobile sets to prevent theft and smuggling has now turned into a farce. In an announcement on Thursday, Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar said no legal or illegal mobile phones would be disconnected, considering the suffering of consumers. He told the media on Thursday (October 21) night.
The minister said that the process of shutting down any mobile phone which was started from October 1 was not going on. The government has changed the decision taken in this regard.
From now on, if the mobile phone set is turned on, it will be registered automatically, but even if the phone is illegal (entering the country illegally, buying a mobile phone through a non-channel) will not be stopped.
The minister said, "We do not want the people to suffer while registering their mobile phones. That is why the registration of mobile phone sets will be done automatically. We have seen that people from rural areas, especially those who use feature phones, are the ones who are suffering the most while registering their mobile phone sets. Expatriates are also suffering."
Mustafa Jabbar said, "Sajeeb Wazed Joy, information technology adviser to the prime minister, has told us that we will not do anything that causes the people to suffer."
What will happen to illegal phones? In response to the question of the journalists, the minister said, 'It is not our job to catch illegal phones. This is the work of the National Board of Revenue (NBR). We will create an IMI database. If necessary, NBR will also be given access to the database. The NBR will check which phone is invalid. If they want documents, it will be provided to them.
Asked what will happen to the mobile phones that have been identified as illegal so far, he said, "All phones will be registered If any phone is disconnected, they will be turned on."
Earlier on September 30, the BTRC said that unregistered mobile phones would be disconnected from October 1. At the same time, from now on, if any unregistered mobile is produced or imported or bought / sold, action will be taken according to the Telecommunication Act.
