After Bangladesh government stopped 3G and 4G networks at the Rohingya camps, there is a tendency among the locals plus the Rohingyas to tilt towards MPT SIM cards of Myanmar. Smuggled illegally from Myanmar, these are being sold regularly at the camps.
Consequently, the network of the Myanmar mobile company is expanding near the Bangladesh border. Recently, several shipments of SIM cards were confiscated by the law enforcers.
The detained have told the police that MPT SIMs are cheap and have network on both sides of the border. On Sept 2 last, following a meeting with Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Corporation (BTRC) the 3G and 4G services were stopped around Ukhia and Teknaf camps.
But this has hardly disappointed the Rohingyas because they are using MPT SIMs. Reportedly, many Rohingyas are operating crimes using these connections.
Balukhali camp leader, Lalu Majhi, says: “SIMs are being sold between Tk 70 and Tk 100 and they are easily available.”
The SIM cards are being bought for Tk 30 to Tk 40 in Myanmar and are sold for Tk 70 to Tk 100 at the Rohingya camps.
Sarwar Alam Shahin, president of Ukhia Press Club, said: “Many locals plus NGO workers are also using the SIM and the number may be around 500,000.”
Ukhia police OC Md Abul Mansur, confirmed the wide usage of the Burmese SIM, saying: “We recently arrested a person with 230 SIMs and Teknaf police also detained another person with 222 SIM cards.”
Ukhia UNO Md Nikaruzzaman Chowdhury, observed: “The usage of MPT SIM cards at the camps is illegal and we will soon take action against those involved in the trade of unauthorized SIMs.”
BTRC may soon relax the restrictions imposed on local SIMs and a tram recently visited the camps.