The President of Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers Association Mohiuddin Ahmed has demanded the resignation of the Minister of Telecommunication and BTRC Chairman for the failure to shut down the network of the telecommunication companies of Myanmar on the Bangladesh border. At the same time, he emphasized the speedy repatriation of the Rohingyas by canceling the decision to use mobile phone SIM cards.
He made a demand from a human chain and rally organized by the Rohingya Repatriation National Struggle Committee in front of the National Press Club on Wednesday (14 September 2022) “demanding the cancellation of the decision to provide mobile SIM cards to the Rohingyas on easy terms and cheap prices”. Mohiuddin said as the main speaker in solidarity with the human chain, “Rohingya citizens of Myanmar sheltered as refugees for five years have been using Bangladeshi networks as well as MTMC’s telecom network of Myanmar which is completely illegal and unconstitutional. Sometimes some BTRC officials are sent to visit when we protest against it. But in reality no legal action has been taken so far. In 2015, when the government introduced the biometric SIM registration process in the country, the policy said that any legal citizen of Bangladesh who is 18 years of age can register the SIM biometrically with their national identity card or passport. However, the Rohingya citizens of Myanmar are illegally using SIMs used in the name of our country’s citizens and are using Myanmar’s telecom network without any hindrance. Through this, the telecom company in Myanmar is conducting business illegally inside Bangladesh. Thousands of crores of taka have gone to Myanmar through banking for these telecom services and mobiles. Practically the current Telecom Minister and BTRC Chairman have failed to take necessary measures. To cover failure, they have created a list of five SIM cards for Rohingya citizens through the legal process. Through this, the operators may do some good business. But within the country, anarchy, terrorism can cause epidemics like drugs and AIDS. For a proper solution, our opinion is to first stop the illegal network and seize all the illegal SIMs. Secondly, sitting with the Rohingya Repatriation Struggle Committee and taking necessary measures based on the opinions of local representatives and experts.
In the president’s speech, Ataullah Khan said, we Bangladeshi citizens are in great danger today. I did not realize that the humanity shown by the Prime Minister of Humanity would be such a big time for us considering the humanitarian aspect of sheltering them. We have seen how Mahibullah used this illegal mobile network to rally millions of Rohingyas. These Rohingyas are using illegal network SIMs to engage in drug trafficking, money laundering, smuggling and anti-social activities. Today thousands of AIDS patients have created fear not only for Cox’s Bazar district but for the whole of Bangladesh. We understand the motives of the Ministry of Telecom to facilitate businessmen under the guise of humanity. In no way can Rohingyas be legally given five SIMs each. That means we cannot be said to be inhuman. Why did the former Minister of Posts and Telecommunications set up telephone booths where we could talk to their relatives free of charge? All the SIMs should be recovered and the last SIMs should be handed over to the rightful owners and their communication should be ensured through the telephone booth. As a result of Rohingya’s illegal trade, all the cases where the local population has been attacked must be properly dealt with.
Chairman of Ukhia Palongkhali Union Parishad and member secretary of the organization M Gafur Uddin Chowdhury said that we, who are local residents are in great danger today. Rohingyas are using both Myanmar’s network and Bangladesh’s network, even though the Ministry of Telecommunication is giving a wrong explanation by not confiscating all the SIMs they are currently using, fed up with their persecution. It’s ridiculous that they say legalization will stop illegal use. Government should stop all these illegal networks. Without doing that, the decision to give SIM in a new legal way will be suicidal. We shall not accept this decision.
Anwar Hossain, former DIG of Police, known as Rohingya SP, said, “I have been working with the Rohingyas for a long time and I want to say that the decision to think about the Rohingyas in a new legal way is on the one hand a wrong decision as well as against the constitution.
General Secretary of Labor Party Abdullah Mamun, general civil society coordinator Sheikh Farid, local journalists and public representatives of Ukhia also spoke at the meeting.