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Bangladesh is considering further reducing the number of active SIM connections that can be registered against a single national identity card (NID), as part of efforts to curb cybercrime, illegal VoIP operations and financial fraud.
A proposal to limit the number of SIMs per NID to five could put around four crore active connections at risk of cancellation.
Following recommendations from security agencies, registration of a third new SIM after a customer has already registered two could take up to a week, as additional verification may be introduced.
Sources said a proposal has been made to verify customers seeking more than two SIM connections through the Central Biometric Verification Monitoring Platform and the police Crime Data Management System.
The proposed mechanism has not yet been finalised. Authorities are expected to consider feedback from security agencies and the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) before implementation, while also taking customer convenience into account.
Officials said any final decision would have to balance national security concerns with individual rights.
Meanwhile, customers have reported that new SIM registration at the state-owned telecom operator is currently unavailable after contacting its customer-care centres. Private mobile operators, however, continue to register SIMs as usual. Customers can also purchase SIMs from roadside agents and customer-care outlets.
Why 4 crore SIMs could be affected
Bangladesh has more than 18 crore mobile connections, while the number of unique NID holders using mobile connections is estimated at around 6.75 crore.
Around 80 percent of customers reportedly use five or fewer SIMs. However, at least 1.2 crore customers have between six and 10 SIMs registered against their NIDs, with an average of six to 10 connections.
If the maximum limit is reduced to five, connections in excess of that limit would have to be cancelled in phases.
As a result, between 3.5 crore and four crore active connections could face cancellation.
SIM limit reduced several times
Bangladesh has changed the maximum number of SIMs that can be registered against a single NID several times since the introduction of biometric registration.
Initially, customers could register up to 20 SIMs against one NID. In 2017, BTRC reduced the limit to 15 to prevent the misuse of unregistered and fraudulent SIMs.
In 2025, the limit was further reduced to 10 in the interest of national security and crime control, resulting in the automatic cancellation process for nearly half a crore additional SIMs.
Most recently, based on the views of the Home Ministry’s law-and-order committee and recommendations from security analysts, a policy proposal has been developed to reduce the limit to five, with implementation planned in phases.
Security agencies’ argument
Regulators and law-enforcement agencies argue that criminals use SIMs registered against other people’s NIDs or multiple SIM connections to commit financial fraud, including scams involving bKash and Nagad, and to spread misinformation.
Such practices can make it difficult to identify the actual user of a connection.
Security agencies believe limiting the number of SIMs registered against an NID could reduce the scope for using false accounts and identities.
Mobile operators and consumer-rights stakeholders, however, argue that reducing the SIM limit alone cannot solve digital crime.
They point out that many households use one family member’s NID to register SIMs for internet routers, IoT devices and tablets used by children or elderly family members.
They warn that abruptly reducing the limit to five could therefore cause significant inconvenience for ordinary customers.
Operators reject SIM-only explanation
Mobile operators have also questioned the argument that the number of SIM connections is a primary driver of digital crime.
Robi’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Sahed Alam said SIM restrictions alone would not address the problem.
“There are many factors and data points involved here. Therefore, the best approach is for them to sit down with us to resolve the issue,” he said.
He noted that reducing the limit from 15 to 10 had not resulted in a significant decline in crime.
“Consequently, even if the limit were reduced to a single SIM, crimes would still occur; SIM cards are not the sole cause of crime,” he said.
In the era of artificial intelligence, he said, security measures needed to become more strategic, with greater emphasis on securing the NID database.
Risk of automatic cancellation
Under BTRC rules, customers who fail to deregister excess SIMs within the prescribed period may have additional connections deactivated through a random selection process.
This creates a risk that a number used for banking, financial transactions or other important services could be deactivated unexpectedly.
Customers could then face difficulties replacing long-used numbers and updating their details across various digital services.
How to check SIMs registered against an NID
Customers can check the number of SIMs registered against their NID by dialling *16001# from a mobile phone.
They must then enter the last four digits of their NID when prompted. A return SMS will provide information on the number of SIMs registered under the NID with different operators.
Customers who have unnecessary SIMs are advised to visit the relevant operator’s customer-care centre and deregister those connections.