Mobile retailers end road blockade outside Jamuna Future Park, issue 24-hour deadline
Traffic movement resumed afterwards and is currently normal, police say
Mobile phone traders today (2 December) lifted their blockade in front of Jamuna Future Park after issuing a 24-hour ultimatum to authorities to meet their demands, including the withdrawal of the 57% tax on unregistered handset imports and reforms to the NEIR registration system.
However, they announced that the mobile market inside Jamuna Future Park will remain closed indefinitely.
Mostafizur Rahman, inspector (investigation) at Bhatara Police Station, said traders left the road around 2:15pm after issuing a 24-hour ultimatum.
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Traffic movement resumed afterwards and is currently normal, he added.
Faisal Azad, acting general secretary of the Mobile Business Community Bangladesh – Jamuna Future Park unit, said they lifted the blockade considering the health condition of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, who is currently undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital.
"We have withdrawn from the streets today so that the movement of patients, doctors, and the general public is not disrupted," he said.
Azad added that the authorities concerned have been given a 24-hour deadline to address their demands.
"If our demands are not met within this timeframe, we will lay siege to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) building. Details of our next programme will be announced tonight," he warned.
He further stated that all mobile shops in Jamuna Future Park will remain closed until further notice.
Earlier, at 12:40pm, mobile retailers blocked the road in front of the shopping mall demanding withdrawal of the 57% tax on unregistered mobile phone imports and reforms to the NEIR system. The blockade halted traffic on Pragati Sarani, causing suffering to commuters.
Retailers said excessive taxation has severely disrupted the normal buying and selling of mobile phones. The 57% tax, they claimed, has pushed the prices of imported handsets to "abnormal levels", hurting both consumers and traders.
They added that complications in the NEIR process, including delays in registration, devices being blocked due to incorrect IMEI numbers, and other bureaucratic obstacles, have fuelled longstanding frustration within the business community.
