B’desh: Cell phone ban on Rohingyas
DHAKA: Bangladesh has banned telecommunication companies from selling mobile phone connections to Rohingya refugees, citing security concerns , officials said on Sunday.
Bangladesh’s four mobile phone providers were threatened with fines if they provide any of the nearly 430,000 newly arrived refugees from Myanmar with phone plans while the ban is in force.
“For the time being, they (Rohingya) can’t buy any SIM cards,” Enayet Hossain, a senior officer at the telecoms ministry, said.
The decision to impose a communication black out on the stateless Muslim minority was justi- fiedf or security reasons, said junior telecoms minister Tara na Halim.
Bangladesh already prohibits the sale of SIM cards to its own citizens who cannot provide an official identity card, in a bid to frustrate the organisation al capacity of homegrown militants.
“We took the step( of welcoming the R oh ing ya) on humanitarian grounds but at the same time our own security should not be compromised ,” H ali ms aid, without elaborating on what specific risk the Rohingya posed.
Bangladesh’s telecoms authority said the ban could be lifted once biometric identity cards are issued to the new refugees. AFP