The government yesterday introduced some fresh measures tightening the registration process of SIM (subscriber identity module) and RUIM (removable user identity module) cards, following a rise in cellphone use for criminal activities.
Persons under the age of 18 will no more be able to buy SIM or RUIM cards, and persons 18 years of age and above must put their national identity numbers on registration forms to become subscribers. Before the new measures were put in place, any ID card would suffice for getting a registered SIM or RUIM card. Subscribers from now on also must provide a name of an introducer along with the introducer’s address, and a contact number on the registration forms.
Restrictions were also slapped on getting authorised certificates for selling the cards. Applicants for the certificates from service providers, must have secondary school certificates, and must go through police verification.
The decisions were taken at a meeting at the home ministry with Home Minister Sahara Khatun in the chair. State Minister for Home Shamsul Hoque Tuku, Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Zia Ahmed, mobile phone operators of the country, and senior officials of law enforcing and intelligence agencies were also present.
“Two lakh mobile phone connections have so far been cancelled following allegations of various criminal offences, including extortion, issuance of threats, and other forms of harassment,” Sahara told reporters after the meeting.
She said mobile phone operators were asked to follow the new measures, and to monitor their implementation.
Earlier, a 10-member committee headed by the BTRC chairman was formed for recommendations regarding curbing of cellphone crimes. The committee submitted its recommendations to yesterday’s meeting.
The meeting was informed that a total of 12 lakh unregistered SIM and RUIM cards have so far been blocked.
When his attention was drawn to the fact that there are many unregistered mobile phone users in the country, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner AKM Shahidul Haq told journalists that actions will be taken against mobile phone operators, if unregistered use of their services are detected in criminal offences.
Sahara requested cellphone users to immediately report to nearest police stations if they get ay threat or extortion demand over the phone. The mobile phone operators should also be notified, she added.
The home minister warned that actions will be taken against mobile operators if their SIM cards are sold without proper registration.
The BTRC chairman said a telecom act is being formulated to ensure punishment for cellphone crimes.
Extortion demands and threats to high-profile people over cellphones are going on unabated in the country, especially in the capital. Cellphones are also being used for harassing women.
But police can hardly trace the perpetrators as many of the SIMs and RUIMs used in the crimes are unregistered, or their registrations are based on false information.
Recently, the prime minister and her nephew, ruling Awami League lawmaker Fazle noor Taposh, received threats over cellphones.
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