The government has lifted the ban on the sale of SIM (subscriber identity module) cards by the largest mobile network operator Grameenphone.
The embargo was slapped last June on grounds of poor performance in the quality of service.
Grameenphone CEO Yasir Azman confirmed the raising of the ban by Bangladesh Tele-communication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) on Monday as it found the operator's improvement in service delivery.
"We have received a notification on the withdrawal of the SIM sales ban," he said in a statement.
Reacting to the removal of curbs, Mr Azman said the SIM ban was an inappropriate measure to resolve any issues regarding the quality of service.
GP will continue to invest in the strengthening of its network with the advancement of mobile technology and analytics, according to him.
The CEO sought a level-playing field for and fair treatment of all operators through a dialogue.
"We look forward to receiving continued support and cooperation from the authorities as connectivity plays a pivotal role in the digitalisation and economic growth of the country," he cited.
On 29 June 2022, the regulator directed GP to stop selling all types of SIM cards on the grounds that the service quality of the operator was not satisfactory.
It was later learned that the ban was imposed, at the direction of the post and telecoms department, for poor network around Padma Bridge on its inaugural day.
"On the day of the Padma Bridge inauguration, Grameenphone's network was not good there…," BTRC chairman Shyam Sunder Sikder told an event on November 06.
"The operator continues to get complaints about the poor quality of its service. Moreover, there was also a writ with the court. All these led to the decision of banning GP's SIM card sales."
GP has lost 3.7-million subscribers since the embargo was placed. As of November 2022, it had a subscriber base of 80.34 million, which was 84.08 million in June.
In mid-September, the BTRC allowed GP to sell 1.3-million old unused SIMs as per the applications of various government and private departments, including law-enforcement agencies.
However, the BTRC backtracked on November 06 as the post and telecoms department issued a show-cause notice to it on October 18 regarding the directive.
On November 20, GP got permission to sell 78,000 SIM cards to some select public and private corporate clients such as the armed forces, police and RAB.
In a letter to the BTRC on November 25, GP sought the lifting of the ban, citing a substantial improvement in the quality of its services.
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