Dhaka: Bangladesh's telecom regulator has suggested enactment of a tough law prescribing five years' imprisonment and penalties worth 50 million Bangladeshi taka (Dh2.65 million) for crimes using mobile phones to add muscle to a government campaign.
The Prothom Alo newspaper reported that the Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has prepared the draft law to stop threats and extortions using the technology. The proposal, already approved by the home ministry, was expected to be tabled before the cabinet ahead of enactment of the law in parliament.
Punitive action
BTRC officials said the proposed law suggested punitive actions against the cell phone operators also for failures to ensure transparency or regulate the sale of the SIM cards.
"The proposed law was drafted in consultation with the mobile phone operators. If they can ensure transparency in their works they would not face any problem," BTRC chairman Zia Ahmad said.
The report came as the government last week enforced a previous order barring persons under 18 from buying cell phone SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards, in a desperate effort to control growing crimes using mobile phones, particularly by youngsters.
Officials said the mobile phone operators in the country also need the national identity card and an introducer for buying a SIM card.
Restrictions
He added that restrictions were also slapped on getting authorisation certificates for selling the cards. Vendors must have secondary school certificates and must go through police verification to qualify.
The restriction came days after police said teenagers appeared to be dominating Dhaka's underworld as they prepared a list of 559 young gangsters, prompting authorities to launch a campaign to uproot the gangs.
"SIM cards are now so easily available that you will get one even from a betel leaf seller. The extortionists and criminals are using SIM cards which are not properly registered," Home Minister Sahara Khatun told reporters last week.
