About 50,000 SIM cards of Bangladeshi mobile phone operators are allegedly being used in criminal activities across the border at Myanmar’s Arakkan region, sources said.
The unregistered SIM cards from Grameenphone, Robi, Citycell and Airtel are being used by people involved in smuggling arms and illegal Yabba tablets, sources living near the border said.
Criminals and citizens of Myanmar are reportedly using Bangladeshi mobile networks to establish communication with the whole world, posing a threat to Bangladesh, the sources added.
Bangladeshi mobile companies were aware of the matter and have extended their networks to a vast area inside Myanmar to earn extra revenue, they claimed.
A customer care official at Robi, on condition of anonymity, told the Dhaka Tribune that about 50,000 illegal SIM cards of various Bangladeshi companies were providing services in Myanmar.
Captain Lt Col Abuzer Al Zahid of Teknaf 42 Border Guard Bangladesh confirmed the availability of Bangladeshi mobile networks inside Myanmar territory.
“The matter is concerning,” he told the Dhaka Tribune, promising to inform his higher authorities about it.
While talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ruhul Amin also admitted the use of illegal SIMs, saying steps would be taken to ensure border security and prevent smuggling.
