Ahead of the national election, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has decided to tighten restrictions on the number of SIM cards an individual can register, aiming to curb mobile-centric crimes and enhance regulatory control.
Under the new policy, effective January 1, 2026, a maximum of five SIM cards can be registered against a single National Identity Card (NID), down from the current limit of 10. Any SIMs exceeding this limit will be deactivated once the regulation comes into effect.
The commission will, however, allow the sale of special-series SIM cards for Internet of Things (IoT) devices through a separate registration process.
According to BTRC sources, some dishonest retailers have been storing customers’ biometric information without their knowledge during SIM sales and later using that data to illegally register additional SIM cards. BTRC monitoring has revealed cases where multiple SIMs were registered under a single NID in a single day—an anomaly the government now seeks to eliminate with stricter controls.
A senior BTRC official said the decision was taken during a recent high-level law and order meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs. “Considering the prevailing situation, a proposal has been made to limit new SIM registrations to a maximum of five per NID. The policy will come into force in January 2026 after approval from the Posts and Telecommunications Division,” the official said.
Earlier, following a meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs on October 26, Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said the government plans to reduce the number of SIM cards per individual ahead of the election. He added that the long-term goal is to eventually bring the limit down to two SIMs per person.
On October 29, at a press conference at BTRC, Chairman Major General (retd) Md Emdad Ul Bari announced that mobile operators would start disconnecting SIM cards exceeding the 10-SIM limit per NID from November 1. By the end of December, no NID was expected to have more than 10 active SIMs.
In December, the BTRC chairman clarified that from January 1, 2026, anyone purchasing a new SIM will not be allowed to register more than five SIMs under a single NID. Individuals currently holding 10 SIMs will be required to reduce their number to five before registering any new SIMs.
The decision has drawn mixed reactions from subscribers and service providers. Mobile operators argue that reducing the number of SIM cards will not automatically reduce crime.
Some users highlighted that SIM cards are now used for internet access and IoT devices, not solely for voice calls. Others noted that multiple SIMs are often necessary to ensure network coverage and to take advantage of different operators’ packages. Several customers also pointed out that in families where some members do not have NIDs, others are forced to register SIMs on their behalf, making the new limit restrictive.
On the other hand, some believe the impact may be limited, as many families have multiple adult members with valid NIDs.
Currently, Bangladesh has around 188 million SIM connections used by approximately 67.6 million subscribers. Of them, about 12 million users hold an average of six SIM cards each. Approximately 80% of all subscribers already use five or fewer SIMs.
