Mobile phone subscribers will be able to know the numbers of all the SIM cards registered against the subscriber’s National Identification Number (NID) from July 7 this year, said State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim yesterday. Meanwhile, over 1000 illegal SIM cards, containing false biometric and other information, were seized by police in Mymensingh yesterday. Tarana Halim was talking to reporters after holding a meeting with mobile operators at the secretariat over the prevalence of SIMs in the market with false biometric data. Yesterday’s meeting was convened amid concern among subscribers over possible misuse of their biometric and identity information after about 1 lakh illegal SIM cards of mobile phone operator Airtel, with false biometric data, were seized by police on Wednesday.
During the meeting, Tarana Halim instructed the officials to let the subscribers know about the actual number of SIM cards that were registered against each NID. If a subscriber wants, then the person will be able to send SMS to the operator and the operator will send back an SMS with the SIM numbers registered against the person’s NID. If more than one number is registered against a NID, that information will also be shown in the SMS. The state minister said because of the introduction of biometric SIM verification system, it has become possible to put a check on crimes conducted using mobile phones. She also said police are conducting drives across the country against illegal SIM cards.
Meanwhile, a day after police seized around one lakh illegal SIM cards of Airtel and arrested 22 people, another 1000 SIM cards were seized in Mymensingh yesterday.
Three persons identified as Jahirul Islam, 20, Humayun, 25, and Ruhul Amin, 20 were arrested with around 1000 SIM cards containing false biometric and owner information, and equipment used for illegal international cal termination.
Tipped off, a team of police raided the house of one Jahirul Islam, 20, at Sankipara in Mymensingh around 11 pm and seized huge VoIP (voice over internet protocol) equipment, a number of SIM cards and National ID cards from the house, said Quamrul Islam, officer in-charge of Kotwali Model Police Station.
Meanwhile, two people were arrested by RAB from Mosjid Market in Natore yesterday for possessions of over 200 illegal SIM cards that have false biometric and owner information.