BTRC To Deactivate Extra SIMs Beyond Limit From Saturday
Over 80% Of Subscribers Use Fewer Than Five SIMs, 16% Use Between Six And Ten, And Only 3% Have More Than Ten
Mobile operators will begin deactivating additional SIM cards registered under a single National ID (NID) from Saturday if the total number exceeds 10, in line with a directive from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
In a recent notice, the regulator stated that any excess SIMs will be automatically deactivated starting November.
Users who do not voluntarily deactivate their extra SIMs risk losing access to randomly selected numbers, which may include important ones.
On July 30, the BTRC announced that no individual may possess more than 10 active SIMs under one NID, lowering the previous limit of 15. Subscribers can deregister additional SIMs through their respective mobile operators’ customer service centers.
BTRC Chairman Major General (Retd) Md Emdad Ul Bari said that the deactivation process will begin Saturday and that by December, no NID will have more than 10 active SIMs.
As of March 2025, Bangladesh had 186.2 million active SIMs, while the actual number of users stood at approximately 67.5 million, according to BTRC data.
Over 80% of subscribers use fewer than five SIMs, 16% use between six and 10, and only 3% have more than 10.
The initiative aims to bring order to SIM management and curb fraud, BTRC officials said. Subscribers can check how many SIMs are registered under their NID either online or by dialing *16002#.
Officials also noted that the deactivation process will be random, meaning even important numbers may be affected if they exceed the limit.
What's Your Reaction?
