Govt to go tough on fake SIM registration

The recovery of 4,342 fake biometrically-activated SIM cards of different mobile operators has made the government sit up and take note. Even more alarming is the fact that all these fake SIMs were recovered from a single dealer in Chittagong.
An investigation has revealed that these SIMs were biometrically activated by some people in exchange for money or other rewards. At a high-level meeting led by telecommunications minister Tarana Halim, it was decided that stern action would be taken against the persons responsible and also the mobile operators. The telecom regulator will fine the mobile operators USD 50 for each pre-activated fake SIM.
The government will also hold meetings with the senior officials of all the mobile operators and brief the media about their security systems. Around 77,000 fake SIMs were recovered from the dealer in Chittagong, 4,342 of them biometrically activated, exposing the chinks in the entire security system.
Not only Chittagong, the police have recovered fake SIMs from different parts of the capital, too, like Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, and Mohammadpur areas.
Tarana Halim told The Independent, “We have not found any weakness in our system. Some dishonest dealers are involved in the fake biometric SIM registration. We have found that customers registered their SIMs properly, but some dealers lied to them that their SIMs were not biometrically registered in the first attempt and told them to do it again.”
The government has also checked the National Identity Cards (NIDs) and fingerprints, but did not find any irregularities. A government official who attended the meeting told The Independent, “To prevent such forgeries, the government will start a massive campaign to generate awareness among people. Otherwise, we cannot protect the real customers.”
The Detective Branch (DB) of police on July 24 seized the 77,000 SIMs that were selling at Reazuddin Bazar in Chittagong, and arrested seven persons. The SIMs was registered u

Govt to go tough on fake SIM registration

The recovery of 4,342 fake biometrically-activated SIM cards of different mobile operators has made the government sit up and take note. Even more alarming is the fact that all these fake SIMs were recovered from a single dealer in Chittagong. An investigation has revealed that these SIMs were biometrically activated by some people in exchange for money or other rewards. At a high-level meeting led by telecommunications minister Tarana Halim, it was decided that stern action would be taken against the persons responsible and also the mobile operators. The telecom regulator will fine the mobile operators USD 50 for each pre-activated fake SIM. The government will also hold meetings with the senior officials of all the mobile operators and brief the media about their security systems. Around 77,000 fake SIMs were recovered from the dealer in Chittagong, 4,342 of them biometrically activated, exposing the chinks in the entire security system. Not only Chittagong, the police have recovered fake SIMs from different parts of the capital, too, like Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, and Mohammadpur areas. Tarana Halim told The Independent, We have not found any weakness in our system. Some dishonest dealers are involved in the fake biometric SIM registration. We have found that customers registered their SIMs properly, but some dealers lied to them that their SIMs were not biometrically registered in the first attempt and told them to do it again. The government has also checked the National Identity Cards (NIDs) and fingerprints, but did not find any irregularities. A government official who attended the meeting told The Independent, To prevent such forgeries, the government will start a massive campaign to generate awareness among people. Otherwise, we cannot protect the real customers. The Detective Branch (DB) of police on July 24 seized the 77,000 SIMs that were selling at Reazuddin Bazar in Chittagong, and arrested seven persons. The SIMs was registered u