Mobile handset registration to be started in February: Tarana
Registration of mobile handset is going to be started from February in the New Year, state minister for posts and telecommunication Tarana Halim said on Wednesday.
She came up with the announcement of the planned launching of the mobile handset registration at the inauguration ceremony of biometric SIM registration process at Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) in the city this noon.
"The telecom regulator would issue directive to register the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number of mobile handset in February," Tarana said, adding that we would be able to ensure digital identity after completing the process alongside the biometric SIM registration.
The state minister announced for introducing the system against the backdrop of frequent mobile phone-based crime using counterfeit handsets.
She, however, didn`t clear the mode of handset registration process.
But, officials of BTRC informed that users have to go customer care centre to register the mobile handset.
Meanwhile, the government today launched the biometric SIM registration system which would be continued in next four months.
Telecom experts said, after completing the both process, the law enforcing agencies would be able to nab the perpetrators easily when SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) number would be pinned with the IMEI number.
President of Mobile Phone Importers Association (MPIA) M Ruhul Alam Al Mahbub (Manik) told BSS earlier that duplicate and fake handset would flood the market if the telecom regulator doesn`t take effective measure.
"Mobile handset market would reach a size of Taka 20,000 to 25,000 crore in the coming days. So, the BTRC should put emphasis on it," he added.
Statistics showed on average 20 lakh handsets and 20,000 pieces of tablet are being imported in the country every month, of which the share of smartphones is 21 per cent.
Now the country has over 13 crore mobile phone subscribers and over eight crore handsets in people`s hand.
