From Saturday, mobile operators will start deactivating additional SIM cards registered under a single national ID (NID) if the number exceeds 10.
The development came following a directive from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
Users who don’t deactivate excess SIMs on their own may lose access to randomly chosen numbers, which could include important ones.
As of March 2025, there were 186.2 million active SIMs in Bangladesh, while the actual number of users stood at around 67.5 million, UNB reports quoting the BTRC.
More than 80% of subscribers use fewer than five SIMs, 16% use between six and 10, and only 3% have over 10, it adds.
The move is aiming to restore order in SIM management and preventing fraud. Subscribers can check how many SIMs are registered under their NID either online or by dialing *16002#.
The SIM deactivation will occur through a random selection process, which means even essential numbers could be disabled if they exceed the allowed limit, the BTRC officials said.
