BNP, Jamaat lie about SIM registration

Says Tarana Halim

State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim has alleged that opponents of the biometric registration of mobile subscriber identity module (SIM) cards are BNP-Jamaat members or operators of the illegal Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) businesses.
Speaking at a press briefing at the National Press Club in the capital yesterday, Halim also stated that those opposing the biometric registration of SIM cards have opened some 40 Facebook pages and are campaigning against the system. She 
said that the authorities are  monitoring these pages. “We have verified that they are BNP-Jamaat people, or are engaged in illegal VoIP businesses,” she added.

She also said verification for nearly 50 per cent of all the SIMs has been completed with biometric identities, after the campaign was launched in December 16 last year.
“A total of 5.45 crore SIMs of all operators has successfully been re-registered using the biometric system till April 3 this year. The number is increasing everyday,” disclosed the state minister for posts and telecommunication at the press conference. 
The verified SIMs amount to nearly 42 per cent of the total of 13.10 crore SIMs sold by the cellular phone operators. However, the number of active SIMs at this moment is a little less than the total, according to the operators.
The deadline for biometric verification is April 30.
The telecom regulator has also introduced a hotline, ‘2872,’ to hear the complaints against operators’ customer care centres and their retailers during biometric SIM verification, she said. “If any retailer takes money or commits misconduct during biometric verification, customers can complain to 2872. Measures would be taken in the quickest possible of time,” Halim told reporters at the press conference yesterday morning. 
She urged customers to hand over the retailers to police if they seek money for SIM re-registration.
Mentioning the measures taken by the government over demands for and collections of money during SIM verification, the state minister said a team is working on this and is taking punitive measures, including cancellation of approval, immediately after getting complaints. 
So far, approval has been cancelled in the cases of 21 retailers, she added. 
Bangladesh Telecommuni-cation Regulatory Commission (BTRC) chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood clarified that ‘2872’ is not a toll free number and a minimal charge has been imposed to preclude unwanted calls. “People make unnecessary calls when the number becomes toll-free,” he observed.
A road-show was organised to generate mass awareness for the successful completion of the process of biometric SIM verification. 
The process is scheduled to end on April 30. The state minister earlier inaugurated the road-show in front of Osmani Memorial Auditorium. It ended at Jatiyo Press Club.
Replying to a query as to whether it is possible to complete verification by the stipulated deadline, the state minister said according to the schedule, the re-registration process would end on April 30. “As a warning, SIMs of the unverified subscribers would be deactivated for a few hours. They would be notified by SMSs so that they are forced to complete the process,” added Halim.
Describing the people carrying out propaganda against the process as enemies of the country and the people, Mahmood also said: “Preservation of fingerprints is a false perception. We want to secure the subscriber. Don’t pay heed to any propaganda.”
Echoing the BTRC chairman, posts and telecommunications secretary Faizur Rahman Chowdhury said vested quarters are spreading misinformation, but all the people are in favour of biometric verification.
BTRC vice chairman Ahsan Habib Khan and other officials were present at the press conference.
 

BNP, Jamaat lie about SIM registration

Says Tarana Halim

State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim has alleged that opponents of the biometric registration of mobile subscriber identity module (SIM) cards are BNP-Jamaat members or operators of the illegal Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) businesses. Speaking at a press briefing at the National Press Club in the capital yesterday, Halim also stated that those opposing the biometric registration of SIM cards have opened some 40 Facebook pages and are campaigning against the system. She said that the authorities are monitoring these pages. We have verified that they are BNP-Jamaat people, or are engaged in illegal VoIP businesses, she added. She also said verification for nearly 50 per cent of all the SIMs has been completed with biometric identities, after the campaign was launched in December 16 last year. A total of 5.45 crore SIMs of all operators has successfully been re-registered using the biometric system till April 3 this year. The number is increasing everyday, disclosed the state minister for posts and telecommunication at the press conference. The verified SIMs amount to nearly 42 per cent of the total of 13.10 crore SIMs sold by the cellular phone operators. However, the number of active SIMs at this moment is a little less than the total, according to the operators. The deadline for biometric verification is April 30. The telecom regulator has also introduced a hotline, 2872, to hear the complaints against operators customer care centres and their retailers during biometric SIM verification, she said. If any retailer takes money or commits misconduct during biometric verification, customers can complain to 2872. Measures would be taken in the quickest possible of time, Halim told reporters at the press conference yesterday morning. She urged customers to hand over the retailers to police if they seek money for SIM re-registration. Mentioning the measures taken by the government over demands for and collections of money during SIM verification, the state minister said a team is working on this and is taking punitive measures, including cancellation of approval, immediately after getting complaints. So far, approval has been cancelled in the cases of 21 retailers, she added. Bangladesh Telecommuni-cation Regulatory Commission (BTRC) chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood clarified that 2872 is not a toll free number and a minimal charge has been imposed to preclude unwanted calls. People make unnecessary calls when the number becomes toll-free, he observed. A road-show was organised to generate mass awareness for the successful completion of the process of biometric SIM verification. The process is scheduled to end on April 30. The state minister earlier inaugurated the road-show in front of Osmani Memorial Auditorium. It ended at Jatiyo Press Club. Replying to a query as to whether it is possible to complete verification by the stipulated deadline, the state minister said according to the schedule, the re-registration process would end on April 30. As a warning, SIMs of the unverified subscribers would be deactivated for a few hours. They would be notified by SMSs so that they are forced to complete the process, added Halim. Describing the people carrying out propaganda against the process as enemies of the country and the people, Mahmood also said: Preservation of fingerprints is a false perception. We want to secure the subscriber. Dont pay heed to any propaganda. Echoing the BTRC chairman, posts and telecommunications secretary Faizur Rahman Chowdhury said vested quarters are spreading misinformation, but all the people are in favour of biometric verification. BTRC vice chairman Ahsan Habib Khan and other officials were present at the press conference.