NEIR Launch, MBCB Protests Alleged Breach of Promise

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has announced that the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) system will be implemented from January 1, 2026, allegedly disregarding the government’s prior commitment to allow a three-month grace period. The decision has triggered strong resentment and protest from Mobile Business Community Bangladesh (MBCB), an organization representing mobile phone and gadget traders, which described the move as an attempt to protect the interests of a vested syndicate.

In a press release issued on Monday (December 29), MBCB stated that through the Posts and Telecommunications Division, the Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser had clearly assured traders of a three-month grace period. During this time, traders were promised uninterrupted sourcing of products and continuity of business operations. It was also assured that any device connected to the network during the grace period would not be disconnected in the future. Although the Posts and Telecommunications Division published this assurance on its official Facebook page, no formal written order or effective implementation has followed to date.

MBCB further alleged that on December 15, BTRC abruptly announced a 15-day deadline for the NEIR rollout, which directly contradicted the government’s earlier commitment. With the latest announcement confirming the launch from January 1, the organization claims that the controversial decision has now been finalized. According to MBCB, the haste surrounding the move clearly reflects an effort to safeguard the interests of a powerful syndicate.

MBCB President Mohammad Aslam said the pressure is being deliberately created to control the country’s mobile phone market and ensure monopolistic benefits for a handful of syndicate-backed companies. As a result, nearly 25,000 traders are being pushed to the margins, while the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people are at serious risk.

He emphasized that traders are not opposed to NEIR itself; rather, they support launching the system after necessary reforms. The business community wants to import devices legally by paying taxes, he said, adding that tax rates must be kept at a tolerable level. He also demanded the removal of policy barriers related to the import of used phones alongside new ones.

Issuing a warning, Mohammad Aslam said that if the promised three-month grace period is not ensured, if there is no clear and written government position on customs structure and open import policies, and if visible steps toward syndicate-free policy reforms are not taken, mobile traders nationwide will be forced to announce progressively tougher protest programs even before the NEIR system becomes operational.

He further stated that if the violation of official commitments following the schedule announcement leads to instability in the country, the responsibility will not lie with the business community. “We are not against the government or reforms,” he said. “But we will not accept attempts to destroy an entire sector by breaking promises and favoring syndicate interests. There is still time; if the government wishes, it can stabilize the situation by honoring its commitments and adopting syndicate-free decisions.”