Illegal VoIP: 184 SIMs seized, Grameenphone fined Tk 18.4 lakh

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has imposed an administrative fine of Tk 18.4 lakh on Grameenphone for connections identified as being used in illegal VoIP activities. According to the notice, the operator must pay the fine within 10 days and submit proof to the commission; failure to do so will lead to further legal action under the Telecommunications Regulation Act, 2001, and related rules.

According to the BTRC notice, a total of 184 Grameenphone connections were found to be used for illegal international call termination via VoIP technology during operations conducted on April 21, 2026 (164 connections) and May 19, 2026 (20 connections). The seized SIMs are being held by law enforcement agencies for investigation and subsequent legal proceedings.

The notice stated that under Section 25.04.01 of the Cellular Mobile Services Guidelines, 2024, each licensee operator is required to establish and effectively implement appropriate technical and self-regulatory measures to identify, monitor and disconnect connections involved in illegal international call termination or origination. Additionally, under Section 25.06 of the same guidelines, it is the duty of each operator to establish an effective Telecom Fraud Management (TFM) system capable of proactively detecting, preventing and controlling fraudulent telecommunications activities. The BTRC assessment found that Grameenphone had failed to properly comply with these two sections.

The administrative fine has been imposed at a rate of Tk 10,000 per seized SIM, under the authority of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulation Act, 2001, applicable licence conditions, the Cellular Mobile Services Regulatory and Licensing Guidelines, 2024, and the commission's directive no. 14.32.0000.006.36.05.151.189 dated June 3, 2019.

However, Grameenphone has denied responsibility. The operator said that the accountability of the relevant subscribers must be ensured by the BTRC regarding these irregularities. Sharafuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Head of Communications at Grameenphone, said, "Grameenphone conducts business with transparency and accountability in compliance with the country's laws and all BTRC directives. Registration of subscribers is ensured through biometric verification as per the regulator's directives."

He further stated, "Grameenphone strictly follows the self-regulation system prescribed by the BTRC to prevent fraudulent VoIP activities. However, if a biometrically registered subscriber uses their connection for illegal purposes, it is within the regulator's jurisdiction to ensure that subscriber's accountability. Our discussions with the BTRC on this matter are ongoing."

Earlier, the operator had been accused and fined on several occasions for illegal VoIP activities. In an operation in 2023, 1,640 SIMs of the operator were recovered. In 2022, they were fined Tk 9,99,625 for illegal VoIP, though this was later reduced to Tk 5,00,000. In 2018, 1,414 of their SIMs were recovered.