misuse of fingerprints

Errant telcos to face Tk 3b fine

PM to verify own SIM thru biometric system: Tarana

Mobile phone operators will have to pay a fine of up to Taka 3 billion if they are found misusing subscribers' fingerprints secured during registration as per guidelines of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), said State Minister for Posts and Telecommunication Tarana Halim yesterday. She was talking to reporters at her secretariat office yesterday after the weekly cabinet meeting. Posts and Telecommunication Division has launched the campaign for verification of SIM cards using biometric system to ensure the actual ownership of cellular phone connection. The campaign is scheduled to end on April 30. Replying to a query regarding the unverified SIMs after the stipulated time, the state minister said, "notification would be sent to the unverified SIMs, keeping those deactivated temporarily, and later they (uses) could verify their SIMs later.” She, however, didn’t mention any timeframe for the verification.
The state minister said the operators have been given directive to set up booths at over nine thousand post offices for the convenience of the people. “Activities at the post offices would be started within one week,” Tarana Halim said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would verify her cellular phone SIM using biometric system to wipeout propaganda and rumors against the ongoing campaign of SIM re-registration process, she said. “Prime Minister would complete the procedure within April 30 to assure the people of the country that finger prints are not storing,” she said. Terming baseless the propaganda and rumors of storing finger prints, the state minister said: “We are verifying the ownership of cellular phone connection using the system only for protecting the rights of people as well as thwarting militancy, illegal use of VoIP and other harmful activities.”
She said the issue was discussed in today’s cabinet meeting. The cabinet assured citizens not to be feared about misuse of their biometric data which was taken during registration of SIM cards. About the ongoing propaganda against biometrics verification, Tarana Halim said, “over 24 facebook pages have been opened to carry out propaganda from home and abroad.” Meanwhile, talking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said, “The Cabinet has assured citizens there will be no misuse of biometric details like fingerprints.  We have given our fingerprints and you (newsmen) can also assure the people that they have nothing to fear.” “If it is misused, operators will face massive punishment. They will have to pay fines up to Tk 3 billion,” he told reporters. The cabinet secretary said mobile operators take the fingerprints to verify it with the National ID database but they insist they do not store it.  “There’s no possibility of harassment,” he added. “The people who finance in militancy and want to create anarchy are doing this,” she noted.

misuse of fingerprints

Errant telcos to face Tk 3b fine

PM to verify own SIM thru biometric system: Tarana

Mobile phone operators will have to pay a fine of up to Taka 3 billion if they are found misusing subscribers fingerprints secured during registration as per guidelines of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), said State Minister for Posts and Telecommunication Tarana Halim yesterday. She was talking to reporters at her secretariat office yesterday after the weekly cabinet meeting. Posts and Telecommunication Division has launched the campaign for verification of SIM cards using biometric system to ensure the actual ownership of cellular phone connection. The campaign is scheduled to end on April 30. Replying to a query regarding the unverified SIMs after the stipulated time, the state minister said, notification would be sent to the unverified SIMs, keeping those deactivated temporarily, and later they (uses) could verify their SIMs later. She, however, didnt mention any timeframe for the verification. The state minister said the operators have been given directive to set up booths at over nine thousand post offices for the convenience of the people. Activities at the post offices would be started within one week, Tarana Halim said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would verify her cellular phone SIM using biometric system to wipeout propaganda and rumors against the ongoing campaign of SIM re-registration process, she said. Prime Minister would complete the procedure within April 30 to assure the people of the country that finger prints are not storing, she said. Terming baseless the propaganda and rumors of storing finger prints, the state minister said: We are verifying the ownership of cellular phone connection using the system only for protecting the rights of people as well as thwarting militancy, illegal use of VoIP and other harmful activities. She said the issue was discussed in todays cabinet meeting. The cabinet assured citizens not to be feared about misuse of their biometric data which was taken during registration of SIM cards. About the ongoing propaganda against biometrics verification, Tarana Halim said, over 24 facebook pages have been opened to carry out propaganda from home and abroad. Meanwhile, talking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said, The Cabinet has assured citizens there will be no misuse of biometric details like fingerprints. We have given our fingerprints and you (newsmen) can also assure the people that they have nothing to fear. If it is misused, operators will face massive punishment. They will have to pay fines up to Tk 3 billion, he told reporters. The cabinet secretary said mobile operators take the fingerprints to verify it with the National ID database but they insist they do not store it. Theres no possibility of harassment, he added. The people who finance in militancy and want to create anarchy are doing this, she noted.