Mobile traders withdraw blockade at Karwan Bazar, Jamuna Future Park after nearly 3hrs
As of 7pm, both locations remained blocked, causing severe disruption to vehicular movement on the busy corridors.
Mobile phone traders have withdrawn their blockade at Karwan Bazar and in front of Jamuna Future Park after nearly three hours, following a demonstration demanding reforms in the proposed National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) policy and high import taxes on unregistered mobile handsets.
The blockade brought traffic to a standstill on both major routes in the capital this evening (10 December).
"Around 8:30pm, the traders cleared the Karwan Bazar road, after which vehicular movement resumed," Tejgaon Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Kyashinyu Marma told The Business Standard.
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Vatara Police Station Inspector (investigation) Mostafizur Rahman said, "The protesters cleared the road in front of Jamuna Future Park around 8:45pm."
Earlier, around 6:15pm, thousands of traders from Bashundhara City Shopping Mall took to the streets and blocked the Karwan Bazar intersection. Similarly, traders from Jamuna Future Park blocked the road in front of the mall around 5:30pm.
The protesters also set fire on the road and chanted various slogans to cancel the NEIR policy.
OC Kyashinyu Marma said, "Vehicular movement at the Karwan Bazar intersection is completely halted. We are speaking to the traders and urging them to clear the road."
Inspector Mostafizur Rahman said, "A large group of traders of Jamuna Future Park are still occupying the road in front of the mall, causing traffic suspension on Progoti Sarani."
Rifat, a mobile trader at Bashundhara City, told The Business Standard, "We have been protesting for several days, demanding the withdrawal of the 57% tax and reforms to the NEIR system. But the authorities have not responded to our demands."
"That is why we blocked the road," he added.
Another trader from Jamuna Future Park, Bablu Dhali, said, "We will continue our blockade until our demands are met."
Meanwhile, the interim government today decided to officially launch NEIR system on 16 December to curb the use of illegal mobile phones in the country.
The decision came during a meeting between officials of Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the Mobile Phone Industry Owners Association of Bangladesh (MIOB), and the Bangladesh Mobile Business Community held at the ministry.
According to meeting sources, traders involved in the grey market will receive a three-month grace period to adjust to the new system.
During this grace period, no mobile handset sold by grey-market traders will be blocked. The government will take steps within this time to ease LC procedures for traders, reduce duties, and create legal avenues for regularising imported devices.
Speaking to TBS, Mobile Business Community President Mohammad Aslam said, "Traders will suspend their ongoing movement following the government's decision."
The demands
For several days, traders had been protesting to press their eight-point demand, including amendments to the NEIR policy and a minimum six-month grace period before implementation.
Their eight-point demand includes a six-month grace period from 16 December, arguing that small and large traders need this time to clear previous dues, obtain import licences, and complete BTRC vendor enlistment. Without such a window, they warn, lawful imports will collapse.
They also called for simplifying the NOC process, saying the current requirement for mandatory brand approval must be removed. Licensed traders should be allowed to import devices without obtaining written consent from individual brands, they said.
Another major demand is rationalising the tax gap between CBU and CKD imports. Traders say the existing structure creates an "abnormal and discriminatory" difference that distorts the market. A fairer tax margin is needed to restore healthy competition.
The community further sought a simplified IMEI registration process for buying, selling, and exchanging used phones, insisting that NEIR registration and de-registration must become instant and user-friendly. Sellers should be able to deregister immediately, and traders should be able to reregister devices before resale.
They demanded a fast, transparent, and automated registration/de-registration system for both consumers and businesses, ensuring hassle-free IMEI processing.
Another key demand involves a legal and accessible mechanism for expatriates' phones. Returning migrants should be allowed to register and sell their used or new devices without restrictive conditions, through a simple and fair process.
Traders also insisted that NEIR implementation be fully funded by the government, arguing that as a national security project, it should not rely on private firms or local manufacturers – an approach they say risks conflicts of interest and market bias.
Lastly, they sought an additional six months to clear unsold stock after NEIR rollout, with shop sales receipts being accepted as valid registration proof. This would prevent financial losses and allow traders to sell existing inventory legally.
