NEIR to Be Fully Launched on Victory Day: A Milestone in Mobile Security and Revenue Protection
The long-awaited National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR), which ensures registration of all mobile handsets used in Bangladesh, will be fully launched on December 16—Victory Day. The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), which is responsible for implementing the service, believes it will play a crucial role in curbing mobile financial service (MFS) fraud, e-KYC scams, SIM-related crimes, and telecommunication-based deception—while simultaneously safeguarding national security and government revenue.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, October 29, at the BTRC conference room by Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on matters related to the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology.
He said, “Most cases of MFS fraud, scams, digital forgery, and sexual harassment occur through mobile phones. When multiple SIMs are registered under one person’s name, it becomes difficult for law enforcement agencies to trace the culprit. According to Bangladesh Bank, 73% of MFS frauds are committed using illegal mobile phones.”
He added that the introduction of NEIR would help reduce mobile snatching incidents and prevent the government from losing approximately BDT 500 crore in annual revenue. “Once NEIR is launched, grey handsets will be permanently deactivated,” he said.
Referring to BTRC data, Taiyeb noted that according to combined information from BTRC and MFS providers, 85% of e-KYC frauds in 2023 occurred using unregistered or reprogrammed handsets. That same year, around 180,000 complaints related to stolen phones were filed, and NEIR will enable automatic blocking of such devices.
He further mentioned that, according to estimates by the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the government loses around BDT 500 crore annually due to illegal phone imports. Implementing NEIR will help eliminate this loss.
Expressing optimism, Taiyeb said, “NEIR will save the government from massive annual revenue losses, protect the domestic mobile manufacturing industry, and serve as a powerful tool against criminal activities, since stolen or crime-related devices can be easily detected and blocked.”
He emphasized, “NEIR is not merely a technological framework—it is a national commitment to ensuring citizen security, state order, and transparency in the telecom sector.”
The event was attended by BTRC Chairman Major General (Retd.) Md. Emdadul Bari, Spectrum Division Commissioner Mahmud Hossain, MIOB President Zakaria Shahid, AMTOB Secretary General Md. Zulfiqar, as well as representatives from mobile operators and senior BTRC officials.
During a presentation explaining NEIR’s functionality, Brigadier General Md. Aminul Haque, Director General of BTRC’s Spectrum Division, said that all SIM-connected handsets under each tower will be categorized as white, black, grey, or roaming. All devices used before NEIR’s activation will be automatically registered under their corresponding SIMs, even cloned or illegal ones. When a phone is transferred to another person, it must be deregistered. The entire process will be managed via the BTRC website.
For IMEI validation, users must send an SMS to 16002, and for registration, to 16161.
Presiding over the press conference, BTRC Chairman Major General (Retd.) Md. Emdadul Bari said, “Once NEIR is launched, mobile handsets and SIMs will be easily traceable.” He informed that a new guideline is being developed in line with the existing telecom network policy.
He noted that 38% of mobile users in Bangladesh still use feature phones, and the government is taking multiple initiatives to boost smartphone usage. “Due to the presence of stolen and refurbished handsets in the market, prices remain high. Once NEIR is fully operational, the country’s 18 mobile handset manufacturers will be able to sell competitively priced devices,” he said, adding that NEIR will also allow authorities to trace which SIM is being used in a specific handset.
Giving thanks to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) for taking the initiative to launch the NEIR system, Zakaria Shahid, President of the Mobile Phone Industry Owners Association of Bangladesh (MIOB), said that as a result of this initiative, the country's legitimate importers and local manufacturing companies will get equal opportunities to compete. Which will bring the entire industry into a fair and transparent framework. Through this, not only will the customers be assured of using safe and registered handsets, but also the government's income will increase by stopping state revenue evasion.
He further said that this government initiative will not only have a significant impact on law and order and revenue management, but also on sustainable growth and employment creation in the technology sector.
On the other hand, mobile operators are firm in implementing NEIR, said Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) Secretary General Lt. Col. (Retd.) Mohammad Zulfikar, saying that domestic mobile manufacturers will now be able to work with more confidence. Because their manufactured handsets will be protected in the market. Along with this, mobile operators and retailers will also be able to be partners in a clean market system. And everyone will have to work together to inform the public about NEIR.
