In a swoop against unauthorised telecom operations, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), backed by RAB-7, raided an illegal VoIP setup in Chattogram’s Halishahar on 2 July and seized a staggering 21,300 SIM cards along with 35 unlicensed SIM boxes and several routers.
One individual was arrested in connection with the operation, and a case has been filed under the Telecommunication Regulation Act, 2001.
Behind the clunky hardware and blinking LEDs lies a serious problem: VoIP—or Voice over Internet Protocol—technology allows people to make phone calls using internet connections instead of regulated telecom channels.
Sounds modern and efficient, right? Except when used without a license, it becomes a digital black market.
These unauthorised operations reroute international calls through the internet, completely bypassing official gateways.
That means the government misses out on revenue, legitimate telecom businesses lose their share of the pie, and your mobile network might just cry in a corner from the bandwidth strain.
Illegal VoIP isn’t just a regulatory headache—it’s a quiet haemorrhage of hard-earned foreign currency and state revenue. It’s like smuggling, but sneakier and with less dramatic chase scenes.
Worse yet, such networks often run undetected in residential areas, hidden beneath the facade of harmless tech setups—until one day, RAB knocks.
The operation in Halishahar underscores an ongoing effort to crack down on these shadowy networks that distort the market and dent the digital economy’s credibility.
While the seized routers and SIM cards may now rest in evidence lockers, the fight against grey traffic continues.
For the telecom industry, it’s a reminder that enforcement isn’t just about chasing wires—it’s about defending the rule of law in the invisible battleground of bandwidth.