Dbarta24 Report — The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has slapped a collective fine of Tk 8.68 crore on four leading mobile operators in Bangladesh after detecting thousands of SIM cards linked to illegal international call termination (VoIP) activities.
The telecom watchdog issued separate notices to Robi Axiata, Banglalink, Teletalk, and Grameenphone on July 21, instructing them to clear the penal amounts within 10 days or face further legal action.
The notices, signed by BTRC Deputy Director Sharmin Sultana, specified a fine of Tk 10,000 for every SIM card found to be involved in unauthorized VoIP routing.
Breakdown of Fines Across Operators
According to BTRC figures, a total of 8,682 fraudulent SIM cards were identified during recent enforcement drives.
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Robi Axiata: Facing the heaviest penalty, Robi has been fined Tk 5.935 crore after 5,935 of its SIMs were linked to illegal call routing.
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Banglalink: Ranked second, Banglalink received a Tk 1.882 crore fine over 1,882 flagged SIM cards.
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Teletalk: State-owned Teletalk was fined Tk 68.10 lakh for 681 illicit SIMs.
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Grameenphone: The market leader incurred a fine of Tk 18.40 lakh associated with 184 identified SIM cards.
The regulatory agency highlighted that the operators failed to deploy adequate measures to prevent illegal international call termination, violating conditions outlined in their operating licenses, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulation Act, and various commission directives.
Joint Drives Uncover Fraudulent Networks
The enforcement action follows a series of joint operations conducted by BTRC and the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC).
Recent raids in Chittagong and Comilla led to the seizure and identification of thousands of SIM cards being actively utilized in illegal VoIP setups, which deprive the government of significant international call termination revenue.
Operators Respond to Regulatory Action
The decision has met with resistance and calls for procedural fairness from the affected telecom companies.
Robi Axiata expressed strong objections to the ruling. Barrister Shahed Alam, Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer at Robi, stated that the company had not officially received the notice at the time of reporting and disputed the numbers cited in media reports.
“If a decision of this magnitude is taken without offering us an opportunity for self-defense, it goes directly against BTRC’s own regulations,” said Barrister Shahed Alam. “Preliminary internal reviews show that over 95 percent of the SIMs mentioned in the media were already disconnected from our network long ago. Robi maintains a zero-tolerance policy against illegal VoIP and strictly adheres to all regulatory directives.”
Meanwhile, Grameenphone emphasized its commitment to regulatory compliance while addressing subscriber accountability.
Sharfuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Head of Communications at Grameenphone, stated:
“Grameenphone operates in strict compliance with the laws of Bangladesh and BTRC guidelines. All customer registrations are verified through biometric systems, and we rigidly implement self-regulatory mechanisms mandated by the regulator to prevent VoIP abuse. However, if a registered user misuses their connection for illegal activities, individual accountability must be established. We are maintaining an ongoing dialogue with BTRC regarding this matter.”
Outlook
As the 10-day deadline approaches, the telecom sector awaits further clarification on whether BTRC will grant formal hearings to the operators or proceed with legal proceedings.
The crackdown underlines BTRC’s ongoing efforts to curb illicit VoIP trade and secure national telecommunication revenue streams.