The telecoms regulator is launching a database of International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number of phones in the country in an effort to curb illegal imports of mobile phones in the county.
Telecoms and IT Minister Mustafa Jabbar will officially launch it on Tuesday (Jan 22) at the offices of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
Apart from identifying whether a mobile phone has entered the country legally, the move will also enable users to lock their stolen phones.
With this IMEI database, users' mobile handset identity will be linked and stored along with the SIM card number and national ID details.
The BTRC will also launch a shortcode ‘16002’ on Tuesday for users to check whether their phone’s IMEI number is included in the database.
Users have to send their phones IMEI number, which can be known by dialling *#06#, through an SMS to 16002 to check it’s on the database.
The database will significantly curb illegal imports of mobile phones, according to Bangladesh Mobile Phone Importers Association (BMPA) President Ruhul Alam al Mahbub.
“Something between 30 million and 35 million mobile phones are imported every year legally while nearly the same amount of handsets enters illegally,” he told Bangla Tribune.
The database will include IMEI of phones entered the country in 2018 and 2017 as well as any mobile phones entering the country from now on, said Mahbub.
“Illegally imported phones will not be able to operate hitting unscrupulous businesses. The initiative will also significantly curb theft of phones,” he said.
Responding to a query on phones brought in by passengers through the ports from abroad, Mahbub said, “Phones brought in under baggage policies can be included in the database upon a no-objection certificate from the customs.”