Why should BTRC instruction to mobile operators for creating customers' database not be scraped: HC

The High Court has asked why the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission's (BTRC) directive to mobile phone operators to create a database with information contained in subscribers' National Identity (NID) cards should not be cancelled.

 After hearing a petition filed by the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, the court issued a rule seeking an explanation from the BTRC in this regard.  

The Cabinet, Prime Minister's Principal Secretary, Home Secretary, Information and Communication Technology Secretary, Post and Telecommunication Secretary, Director General of the National Identity Card Division of Election Commission, BTRC Chairman, and president of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh were made respondents to the rule within four weeks.

On behalf of HRPB, lawyers Md Sarwar Ahad Chowdhury, Eklas Uddin Bhuiyan, Mamun Alim, and Ripon Barai filed the writ petition.

Manzil Morsed told reporters that according to a media report published in February, BTRC instructed mobile operators to collect the customers' personal information and create a database.

Pointing out that mobile phone operators used to collect information from the Election Commission's National Identity Card database earlier, he said, "If the BTRC guidelines are reflected, telecom operators will have to verify the customer information through the database with Digicom Technologies.

Currently, mobile operators pay Tk5 to the Election Commission for using their database.

The lawyer said, "If the mobile operators start following the BTRC's direction, the personal information of common people will go to private organisations and that will be a national security threat."

He said, "If the personal information of citizens goes under the control of private companies, the fundamental rights guaranteed under the constitution will be violated. According to the law, BTRC's decision is contrary to Article 43 (b) of the Constitution and contravenes Section 13 of the National Identity Card Registration Act, 2010."