Dhaka, Nov 1 (V7N)- Starting today (Saturday), no individual in Bangladesh will be allowed to keep more than 10 active SIM cards under a single National Identity Card (NID), as per the directive of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

Mobile operators have begun the process of deactivating excess SIMs from this morning. According to a recent BTRC notification, any SIM exceeding the 10-card limit after Thursday (October 30) has been automatically marked for deactivation.

Earlier on July 30, BTRC announced that the new limit would take effect from November 1. Previously, subscribers were allowed to register up to 15 SIMs under one NID.

BTRC Chairman Major General (Retd.) Emdad ul Bari said, “Operators will deactivate the excess SIMs from November 1. By December, we will ensure that no more than 10 SIMs remain active against any NID.”

As of March 2025, Bangladesh had 186.2 million active SIMs, though the actual number of unique subscribers is around 67.5 million. Among them, 80% have fewer than five SIMs, 16% use six to ten, and only 3% hold more than eleven.

BTRC officials said the move aims to streamline SIM management and curb telecom fraud. Customers can check how many SIMs are registered under their NID by visiting the BTRC verification portal or dialing *16002#.

Notably, the deactivation will follow a random selection policy, meaning even frequently used or important SIMs may be deactivated if they exceed the allowed limit.

END/SMA/AJ