The Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers Association (BMPCA) on Sunday expressed deep concern over the detection of thousands of SIMs used in illegal VoIP activities, which led the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to impose around Tk 8.68 crore in administrative fines on four mobile operators.
In a statement, the association said 8,682 SIMs were found to have been used for illegal international call termination, citing reports published in various media outlets.
Association president Mohiuddin Ahmed said if such a large number of SIMs had been used in illegal VoIP activities over an extended period, the matter goes beyond a mere violation of licence conditions, posing a serious warning for state revenue, national security and governance in the telecom sector. “Administrative fines alone cannot settle accountability for irregularities of this scale.”
The recovery of thousands of SIMs in a joint operation proves this was not an isolated incident, he said, adding that questions must be answered before the nation about who ran the illegal operation, who benefited financially, and where regulatory oversight failed.
The statement said allegations of massive revenue losses and possible money laundering through illegal VoIP activities have surfaced at various times, underscoring the need for an independent, impartial and high-level investigation.
It said anyone found involved in the racket, whether individuals, institutions or vested interest groups, must face criminal action under existing law.
The association urged the government to identify and bring to justice the individuals, syndicates and beneficiaries involved in illegal VoIP operations, and to assess the actual extent of state revenue losses with a view to recovering the funds.
It also called for an independent investigation coordinated among the BTRC, the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC), law enforcement agencies and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), along with stronger operator accountability, technical surveillance and regulatory oversight to prevent such crimes in future.
“Establishing the rule of law in the telecom sector requires not just fines but bringing those behind the crime to justice. Otherwise, the same offence will recur, the state will keep losing revenue, and ordinary customers will ultimately bear the brunt,” the association president said.
Mobile VoIP refers to a form of internet-based calling in which users make calls through an app on their smartphones, commonly known as a Mobile Dialer App, allowing low-cost international calls. The BTRC recently detected illegal SIMs and imposed fines after finding several telecom companies involved in illegal VoIP operations.