Recent media reports claiming that the government has decided to reduce the number of mobile SIMs to five per National Identity Card from 1 January are false and misleading, the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) said.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, AMTOB said the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has not issued any directive on limiting SIM registration to five per National Identity Card, warning that such misinformation could create unnecessary confusion among customers and businesses.
The industry body said imposing a blanket cap on SIM ownership is neither an effective nor a sustainable way to address crime, fraud or misuse of mobile services.
According to AMTOB, these challenges are better addressed through stronger know-your-customer enforcement, real-time monitoring, data analytics and advanced fraud-detection mechanisms, rather than by restricting legitimate users and enterprises.
The association also cautioned that overly restrictive policies could push users towards informal or unregulated channels, potentially increasing security risks instead of reducing them.
AMTOB said the telecommunications sector remains committed to supporting individual users, entrepreneurs, small and medium businesses and technology-enabled services, while safeguarding customer rights and freedom of choice.
The industry body added that it looks forward to continued collaboration with regulators to ensure connectivity policies strike a balance between security, accessibility, innovation and consumer empowerment, enabling sustainable digital and economic progress for Bangladesh.
