Unregistered phones to be deactivated after 16 Dec: BTRC

From 16 December this year, all unregistered mobile phones in Bangladesh will automatically be deactivated, said Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Major General (retd) Md Emdadul Bari.

At a press conference at the commission's headquarters in the capital today (29 October), he said the government's new National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) will detect and block unauthorised devices.

Under the system, implemented by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), all currently used phones will be automatically registered through their biometric SIMs. Users of gifted or second-hand phones will have to apply to the BTRC for registration following specific guidelines.

According to BTRC officials, there will be no scope of bringing phones into the country through "illegal channels". However, phones brought under baggage rules or purchased before 16 December will not be considered illegal. 

Moreover, a valid mobile handset and the SIM used in it can be tracked simultaneously, which will help in stolen phone cases, according to officials. This means every mobile handset and SIM card will be linked.

The BTRC chairman said, "We have found that a single IMEI number was used to produce hundreds of thousands of phones illegally imported into the country. When such devices are used for crime, it becomes difficult for law enforcement to trace them."

"Once NEIR becomes active, all mobile handsets connected to the country's networks will be automatically verified. It will also be possible to identify whether a phone is legal or not. 

"Under the system, a specific phone and the SIM used in it will be identified together, meaning only the registered SIM can be used in that handset. If someone changes the SIM, the phone will not work with the new SIM unless it is registered again," he added.

The BTRC chairman said all related procedures will be publicly announced before the system is launched.

NEIR is a system that preserves the international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) to help track legally imported or locally made handsets. Officials said that blocking illegal devices from entering the market boosts government revenue and supports sales of authorised phones.

At the press conference, Faiz Ahmed Tayyab, special assistant to the chief Adviser in charge of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, described NEIR as more than a technological system. 

"It is a national commitment to ensure citizens' safety, state discipline, and transparency in the telecom sector," he said.

He added that, alongside BTRC, all four mobile operators – Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink, and Teletalk – are working to upgrade their own Equipment Identity Register (EIR) systems to align with the NEIR platform.

The system will help prevent mobile financial service (MFS) fraud, SIM-related scams, and digital identity theft, while also strengthening e-KYC verification, enhancing telecom security, and increasing government revenue, Tayyeb said.

"From 16 December, Bangladesh's telecom sector will enter a new era of safety and transparency," he said, urging journalists and mobile operators to raise awareness and encourage the public to use legal handsets.

Boost to local industry and digital access

According to Emdadul Bari, around 37–38% of mobile phones in Bangladesh are still non-smart or basic models, limiting access to digital services. The new system is expected to help expand the use of locally manufactured smartphones and protect the legitimate market.

"Mobile phone manufacturing began in 2018 under the 2017 guidelines. Currently, about 18 companies produce phones locally. These can meet most of the country's demand, but the influx of stolen and refurbished sets is keeping prices high," he said.

"The new system will help identify illegal phones, support local manufacturers, and ensure fair competition in the market," Emdadul added.

He also mentioned that the system will be effective in tracking stolen or crime-related phones, as the BTRC will now have the capability to block specific devices directly from the network.

Stricter SIM registration and limits

The BTRC has also tightened SIM registration procedures. "Earlier, after biometric verification in 2016-17, there were still some irregularities," Emdadul said. "Now the number of SIMs allowed per National ID has been reduced from 15 to 10."

From 1 November, mobile operators will start deactivating extra SIMs, and by December, no one will be allowed to keep more than 10 active SIMs under one NID.

This limit may be further reduced in the future, but the commission will ensure that ordinary users are not inconvenienced, he added.

Meanwhile, Lt Col (retd) Mohammad Zulfikar, secretary general of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB), stressed the importance of a re-registration process for used devices before linking phones to SIM cards.

"In our country, a large portion of people use reused handsets. Many sell their old phones or pass them on to family members. We must ensure their proper registration before implementing mandatory handset registration against SIMs," he said.

Representatives from mobile operators and handset manufacturing companies were also present at the press event.