Bangladesh Interim Government Plans Legal SIM Cards for Rohingyas

Photo: Prothom Alo English

Arakan Now | 14 August 2025

The interim government of Bangladesh is considering providing legal SIM cards to Rohingyas living in the country, aiming to address security concerns arising from the widespread use of illegal SIMs. Over 1.2 million Rohingyas have taken shelter in Bangladesh after fleeing persecution in Myanmar. Many currently use SIMs from Bangladeshi and Myanmar operators without legal authorization.

Discussions on the initiative have been held by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) with four mobile operators. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus is scheduled to visit the Rohingya camps on 25 August, with plans to distribute a pilot batch of 10,000 SIMs by that date.

Under the proposed system, Rohingyas would receive SIMs through a separate number series. Adults over 18 would be verified using the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) "Progress ID" database. While the full transfer of this database to the Bangladesh government is expected by November, the pilot project will operate directly under the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner. The government or UNHCR would cover the costs of the SIMs and packages, and illegally used SIMs purchased with Bangladeshi IDs would be deactivated.

Technology policy advisers recommend designating the camps as a special zone, blocking Myanmar networks for security reasons, and confiscating old SIMs before issuing new ones.

BTRC Chairman Maj. Gen. (retd) Emdadul Bari stressed that identification of camp residents remains a key challenge, and discussions are ongoing at the government level.