1. At a glance
- Some content is never allowed on SMSGELY, whatever the purpose, Sender ID or recipient list. Section 3 lists these categories with examples.
- Fraud, phishing and impersonation — especially of banks, mobile financial services, government bodies and the police — are treated as the most serious breaches.
- Some content is allowed only after review, with the required licences or approvals and where lawful (Section 4). Political and election messaging always needs prior written approval.
- We use layered checks to detect prohibited content, but they are not perfect. You are responsible for what you send.
- Anyone can report a harmful message at /report-abuse.
2. How to use this policy
This policy explains what content you must not send through SMSGELY, in any message, Sender ID, link or linked page. It forms part of our Terms of Service and expands on the prohibited activities in the Acceptable Use Policy.
The examples below are illustrations, not a complete list. If you are unsure whether content is allowed, ask us through our contact page before you send.
3. Prohibited content
3.1 Illegal content
Any content that is unlawful to send, or that promotes, facilitates or offers an unlawful activity, product or service.
3.2 Fraud, phishing and impersonation
Messages that deceive people to obtain money, information or access, or that pretend to come from someone else. Examples of what is not allowed:
- fake bKash, Nagad, Rocket or Upay messages asking for a PIN or OTP, or claiming money was "sent by mistake" and must be returned;
- fake bank alerts such as "Your account has been blocked — verify now" with a link;
- fake government notices about fines, taxes, allowances, NID updates or SIM registration;
- fake prize, lottery or gift messages asking for a "processing fee";
- fake job offers or loans that require an advance payment;
- any message using a Sender ID, name or signature of a brand, organisation or authority you are not authorised to represent.
3.3 Malware and malicious links
Links to malware, spyware or unauthorised app downloads; fake login pages; links that disguise their real destination in order to deceive; and look-alike domains imitating banks, MFS providers, government bodies or other brands.
3.4 Violence, threats and harassment
Threats of violence or harm, blackmail, extortion, intimidation, bullying, stalking, and abusive or unlawful debt-collection messages (for example, threatening language or messages to a debtor's relatives or employer).
3.5 Hate and incitement
Content that unlawfully incites hatred, discrimination or violence against people because of their religion, ethnicity, caste, gender, disability or other characteristics. This includes content that incites religious hostility, unlawful anti-state content, and content that is likely to cause public disorder or unrest where prohibited by applicable law.
3.6 Sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse material
Sexually exploitative content of any kind, including non-consensual intimate content and sexual solicitation. Child sexual abuse material — any content that sexualises children — is absolutely prohibited. We will report it to the appropriate authorities where required or permitted by law.
3.7 Extremism and terrorism
Content that recruits for, supports, funds, praises or promotes terrorist or violent extremist organisations or activities.
3.8 Illegal drugs and weapons
Offers or promotion of illegal drugs or controlled substances, and the sale or promotion of weapons, ammunition or explosives, unless lawful and supported by the required licences and our prior approval.
3.9 Gambling and unlawful financial schemes
- illegal gambling, betting or online casino offers;
- pyramid or Ponzi schemes, and multi-level marketing schemes where unlawful;
- unlicensed lending, deposit-taking or investment offers;
- "double your money", guaranteed-return or similar offers.
3.10 Regulated products and services without licences
Messages about regulated products or services — such as medicines and medical treatments, financial and insurance services, alcohol and tobacco where restricted — are allowed only with the required licences and approvals and where lawful. Promoting them without these, or making false health or financial claims, is prohibited. See Section 4.
3.11 Political and election messaging without approval
Political and election messaging requires prior written approval from SMSGELY and any approval required by law, for example from the election authorities. Political or election messages sent without these approvals, or that are unlawful, are prohibited.
3.12 Deceptive advertising
False or misleading claims, fake discounts, hidden charges, invented deadlines, fake reviews or endorsements, and any advertising that misleads consumers.
3.13 Adult content
Sexually explicit content, and promotion of adult or sexual services.
3.14 Harmful misinformation
Knowingly false information that is likely to cause real harm — for example false public-health or safety warnings, false disaster alerts, or false claims designed to cause panic. This does not cover genuine opinions or honest mistakes, but you remain responsible for the accuracy of what you send.
3.15 Other people's personal data
Content that discloses another person's personal information, such as NID numbers, phone numbers, addresses, health or financial details, or private images, without a lawful basis.
3.16 Intellectual property infringement
Content that infringes trademarks, copyright or other intellectual property rights, including counterfeit goods and the unauthorised use of another brand's name or logo.
3.17 Content on behalf of unregistered foreign entities
Promotional content on behalf of foreign businesses or services that are not lawfully registered or permitted to operate or advertise in Bangladesh, where this is prohibited.
4. Restricted content (review required)
Some content is lawful but carries higher risk. It may be sent only where lawful, with the required licences or approvals, and after any review we require. We may ask for documents and may hold campaigns for review.
| Category | What we may ask for |
|---|---|
| Financial services, lending, insurance, investments | Licence or registration from the relevant regulator; clear terms and costs |
| Medicines, healthcare, clinics, health products | Relevant licences or registrations; no false or unproven health claims |
| Alcohol and tobacco, where lawful | Licences; age and location restrictions as required by law |
| Political and election messaging | Prior written approval from SMSGELY and any approval required by law |
| Debt-collection reminders | Evidence of a lawful debt relationship; respectful, non-threatening wording |
| Charity and fundraising | Registration details of the organisation |
| Recruitment and job offers | Employer identity; no fees charged to applicants where prohibited |
| Lotteries, prize draws and contests | Any required permission; clear rules; no payment to claim a prize |
| Cryptocurrency or virtual assets | Generally not accepted; content may be unlawful |
5. How we detect prohibited content
We use several layers of control, and no single one is decisive:
- KYC and staff review of masking Sender IDs, with proof of authorisation required for protected brands such as banks, mobile financial services, operators, government bodies, regulators, the police, the Election Commission and SMSGELY itself;
- automated content and link checks, which may allow, flag, hold for review or block a message — with closer scrutiny for link shorteners, look-alike domains, raw IP addresses and hidden destinations;
- campaign compliance review before sending;
- risk monitoring that looks at a combination of signals, such as complaints, delivery failures, sudden volume changes and account history;
- abuse reports from recipients and information from providers and operators.
These controls reduce risk but are not perfect. They can miss harmful content and can occasionally flag legitimate content. Keyword filtering on its own cannot make messaging safe. Passing our checks does not mean content is lawful or approved.
6. What happens if content breaches this policy
Depending on the seriousness of the breach, we may:
- block the message or remove the content;
- hold or reject the campaign — if a held campaign is not approved, nothing is sent and the reserved funds are returned to your wallet;
- require changes, documents or licences before you send again;
- issue a warning, restrict features or limits, or suspend Sender IDs;
- suspend or terminate the account; and
- report the matter to providers, operators, regulators or law-enforcement authorities where required or permitted by law.
Fraud, phishing, impersonation, child sexual abuse material and terrorist content may lead to immediate suspension without prior warning. See the Acceptable Use Policy and the Account Suspension Policy.
7. How to report
If you received a message sent through SMSGELY that you believe breaches this policy, report it at /report-abuse. Include the Sender ID or number, the date and time, and the message text or a screenshot. Do not click links or share personal information with the sender. If someone is in immediate danger, contact the emergency services or the police first.
More information is in the Abuse Reporting Policy.
8. Changes and language
We may update this policy to reflect new risks, legal or regulatory changes, or provider requirements. The current version and its effective date are always shown on this page.
This policy is published in English and Bangla. If the two versions conflict, the version designated by SMSGELY after legal review applies.
9. Important notice
SMSGELY provides messaging infrastructure and related technology services. Customers remain responsible for message content, recipient lists, recipient consent, sender identity and authorisation, the legality of their campaigns, applicable marketing, telecom and data-protection obligations, and compliance with all applicable laws.
SMSGELY does not authorise unlawful use of the platform. SMSGELY operates subject to applicable laws, regulations, telecom-provider requirements and contractual restrictions.
Questions about this policy can be sent through our contact page.