The telecom ministry has decided not to shut down the network of any mobile handset whatever or not it is registered with the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission.

The ministry also asked the commission to implement this decision immediately.
Following the decision, all handsets will be automatically registered in the National Equipment Identity Register of BTRC.

As per the new decision, handset on the country's mobile network will not be turned off, Posts and Telecom Minister Mustafa Jabbar told The Daily Star today.

The BTRC's job was to keep a detailed database of all the handsets operating in the country, which is being done successfully, he said.

The ministry's decision came around a week after the mobile phone regulator issued a final notice to disconnect unregistered handsets.

If the National Board of Revenue wants, BTRC will provide a list of handsets brought in by evading value-added tax, the minister said.

The registration is automatically done in BTRC's Knock Automation and IMEI Database system, he said.