Why are mobile phone traders protesting?
Mobile phone traders have been protesting against the hasty implementation of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) policy which is scheduled to activate from 16 December
Mobile phone traders have been staging demonstrations across Dhaka for several days now with a multifaceted demand at before the launch of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) policy.
The NEIR was first planned during the previous government's tenure to curb illegal handset imports, strengthen national security and reduce phone thefts. But technical problems, political hesitation and shifting priorities kept the project suspended.
Now the interim government has decided to move ahead with a hard deadline. From 16 December, every handset on Bangladesh's mobile networks will be checked against a central database.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Devices already in use will be registered automatically, and phones purchased abroad or received as gifts will require special registration within 30 days of arrival.
IMEI numbers will be matched with user information. A registered SIM card will be tied to a specific handset. If the pairing changes, the phone will lose network access until the new combination is verified.
To the authorities, this is a basic governance tool. It closes the door on cloned IMEIs, large-scale smuggling operations, refurbished phones with false identities, and criminal activity that depends on untraceable devices.
Another important aspect of NEIR is that it also promises higher revenue for the government by shutting down the long-standing trade in tax-evaded phones.
However, traders across the country have called on the authorities to come to a solution that does not wipe out their businesses overnight.
They say they are not fighting the concept of NEIR, rather, they are fighting the way it is being introduced.
What traders demand
The traders' 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 VAT–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 demand 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 seek 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.
Yesterday (7 December), mobile phone traders held a daylong blockade in front of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) headquarters in the capital's Agargaon. They withdrew the blockade around 9pm after the regulator agreed in principle to reform the proposed National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) policy.
However, traders said all mobile phone markets across the country will remain closed until a final decision is reached.
