Palak asks BTRC to take steps to block unregistered mobile phones

State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak on Tuesday directed the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to take steps to block all unregistered mobile phones.

He issued the directive at a meeting with senior officials of the BTRC at the commission office in the capital Dhaka's Agargaon area this morning, said a press release.

The state minister said that the regulatory body has a system of database and automatic registration of mobile handsets manufactured and assembled in and imported to the country.

Noting that there is no alternative to taking initiatives to increase export income and investment, create employment and increase revenue in the telecommunication and information technology sectors to lay the foundation for 'Smart Bangladesh' with specific goals in the next five years, he directed all concerned to work with utmost sincerity to achieve this goal.

During the current global economic crisis, a simple technology-based solution can benefit the country in many ways, increasing exports, investment and employment, and maintaining law and order, Palak said.

Mentioning that a revolutionary change has taken place in service delivery through 'Parichoy' verification authentication service, he put emphasize on making all databases interoperable with one another to make the service more accessible.

BTRC Chairman Engineer Md Mohiuddin Ahmed and Spectrum Division Commissioner Engineer Sheikh Riaz Ahmed, National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) Director General (DG) Major General Ziaul Ahsan, BTRC DG (admin) Abdullah Al Mamun, DG (engineering and operations) Brigadier General Md Ehsanul Kabir, DG (spectrum) Brigadier General Mohammad Maniruzzaman Jwel and DG (system and services) Brigadier General Mohammad Khalil-Ur-Rahman were present, among others, at the meeting.

Source: BSS