NEIR will help reduce mobile phone prices: Manufacturers
Mobile phone manufacturers have said the implementation of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR), set to go live on 16 December, will help reduce mobile phone prices by curbing illegal imports and creating a fair market.
Bangladesh's current tax burden on mobile phones is among the highest in the region, making devices unnecessarily expensive, said Zakaria Shahid, president of the Mobile Phone Industry Owners Association of Bangladesh (MIOB), at a press briefing at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Monday (8 December).
"We have held discussions with BTRC, and they have taken initiatives to rationalise the tax structure. If this moves forward, the price of imported phones will come down. Once illegal phones are stopped, local manufacturers will be able to expand production and reduce prices as well," he said.
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Zakaria noted that the mobile manufacturing sector has grown into a major contributor to the economy, with 18 active factories, over Tk3,000 crore in investment, and more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs. However, production capacity remains underutilised due to the dominance of grey-market devices.
The association warned that the absence of NEIR has allowed the Tk6,000-crore grey market to flourish, depriving the government of over Tk2,000 crore in annual revenue while posing risks to cybersecurity, user safety and national digital resilience.
NEIR, it said, will ensure that only legal and approved devices operate on mobile networks, shutting out unauthorised phones and restoring a level playing field.
MIOB also addressed public misconceptions, noting that the 57% import tax on CBU devices was introduced in 2019 and has not been increased by the current government.
Bangladesh's mobile market is already highly competitive with 18 licensed manufacturers, and allegations of "syndication" are unfounded, it said.
The association further clarified that NEIR will not disrupt the pre-owned or refurbished phone market, as any legally registered IMEI can be deregistered and resold.
"Only those selling foreign phones misusing baggage rules or passing off used devices as new will be affected," MIOB said.
It added that import licensing is an open and transparent process, while returning passengers can still bring in phones easily and legally under baggage allowances.
The MIOB reiterated that NEIR is a national safeguard critical for protecting government revenue, ensuring digital security, supporting legitimate businesses and helping Bangladesh build a secure and sustainable mobile ecosystem.
