Duty-evaded handsets’ sale to continue until March

The government is sticking to its plan to activate the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) on December 16, while allowing the sale of duty-evaded mobile handsets in the market until March next year.

However, this latest development has failed to appease a section of phone traders who rely heavily on the unauthorised handset market.

On Wednesday evening, shortly after a multi-stakeholder meeting at the Secretariat, members of the Mobile Business Community Bangladesh (MBCB), an association representing traders accused of selling illegal phones, staged a demonstration near Jamuna Future Park, Bashundhara City and the Kawran Bazar intersection.

Protesters blocked traffic, set fires on the road, and chanted slogans, causing severe congestion and significant inconvenience for commuters returning home.

The protest reflects growing tensions surrounding the implementation of NEIR, a system designed to detect cloned, blacklisted or unauthorised devices and prevent them from operating on mobile networks in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and mobile industry groups have argued that NEIR is essential to curb tax evasion, protect government revenue, and support lawful handset manufacturing.

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications held a meeting, with Secretary Abdun Naser Khan in the chair. Senior officials from the National Board of Revenue (NBR), BTRC Commissioner Mahmud Hossain, Spectrum Division Director General Brig Gen Md Aminul Haque, as well as top leaders of the Mobile Phone Industry Owners' Association of Bangladesh (MIOB) and the MBCB attended the meeting.

According to meeting sources, the MBCB leaders demanded that the NEIR rollout be delayed by at least six months, arguing that many small traders could suffer financially.

The authorities dismissed the request as unreasonable but extended the provision allowing illegal or duty-unpaid handsets already in the supply chain to be sold until March 2026, rather than imposing an immediate sales ban.

Officials said the decision will be formally communicated before implementation. Once announced, the MBCB leadership is expected to decide whether to call off the ongoing protest.

Bangladesh's smartphone market has long struggled with illegal imports and tax evasion, with industry insiders suggesting that nearly one-third of handsets in circulation may have bypassed customs.

Legal importers and local manufacturers argue that strict enforcement of NEIR is crucial to protecting fair business practices and securing the government's annual revenue from the sector.

As the countdown to NEIR activation continues, uncertainty remains over whether the protesting traders will accept the compromise or escalate pressure in the coming days.

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