BTRC Fines Grameenphone BDT 1.84 Million Again Over Illegal VoIP Operations
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has once again imposed an administrative fine of BDT 1.84 million on mobile operator Grameenphone after finding evidence of its SIM cards being used in illegal Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) operations.
According to a recent notice issued by the regulator, Grameenphone has been instructed to pay the fine within 10 days and submit proof of payment. Failure to comply may result in further legal action.
BTRC said the operator failed to effectively implement the mandatory Self-Regulatory Process (SRP), Telecom Fraud Management (TFM) system, and other preventive measures required to stop illegal international call termination on its network. The regulator said this constituted violations of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulation Act, the Cellular Mobile Services Guidelines 2024, and several licence conditions.
The violations were detected during two joint enforcement drives conducted by BTRC, the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC), and law enforcement agencies. In an operation linked to a case filed at Cumilla Kotwali Model Police Station on April 21, authorities seized 164 Grameenphone SIM cards. Another raid conducted in Chattogram's Halishahar on May 19 recovered 20 additional SIM cards.
Investigators concluded that all 184 SIM cards were being used for illegal VoIP activities.
Under BTRC's enforcement policy, a penalty of BDT 10,000 per illegal SIM has been imposed, bringing the total fine to BDT 1.84 million.
This is not the first time Grameenphone has faced regulatory action over illegal VoIP. In 2023, authorities seized 1,640 SIM cards linked to similar activities, while in 2022 the operator was fined BDT 9.96 million. In an earlier case, the company also faced a BDT 2 billion penalty over allegations related to illegal VoIP operations and resulting government revenue losses.
Responding to the latest action, Sharifuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Head of Communications at Grameenphone, claimed the company conducts its business transparently and in compliance with all applicable laws and BTRC directives. He added that Grameenphone strictly follows the regulator's self-regulation framework to prevent fraudulent VoIP activities. However, if a biometrically registered subscriber misuses a SIM card for illegal purposes, the company believes the individual subscriber should be held accountable. He also said discussions with BTRC on the matter are continuing.
//DBTech/JTNR/SME//
