Govt. Extends Unregistered Mobile Registration to March Ahead of NEIR Launch

The government has decided to allow the sale and registration of duty-evaded mobile handsets in Bangladesh until 15 March 2026, despite its plan to launch the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) on 16 December 2025. The decision comes following protests by members of the Mobile Business Community Bangladesh (MBCB) near Kawran Bazar, adjacent to Bashundhara City Market, a major hub of illegal phone sales. Protesters set fire on streets and raised slogans, causing significant traffic disruption and inconvenience to commuters.

The demonstrations followed a multi-party meeting at the Secretariat on 10 December, chaired by Post and Telecommunications Secretary Abdun Naser Khan. The meeting was attended by top leaders of the Mobilephone Industry Owners Association of Bangladesh (MIOB) and MBCB, along with officials from the National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Commissioner Mahmud Hossain, and Brigadier General Md. Aminul Haque, Director of the Spectrum Division.

Sources say MBCB leaders requested a six-month postponement of NEIR implementation, but the government extended the registration period for all unregistered phones by three months instead. The decision will be formally announced by the government on 11 December, according to the Ministry. MBCB has indicated it will call off protests once the announcement is made.

Muhammad Jasim Uddin, Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology, stated that the NEIR initiative aims to protect the public from digital crimes, including mobile phone smuggling, stolen or cloned phones, online gambling, and mobile banking fraud, while curbing duty evasion and unregistered phone circulation. All existing unregistered phones must now be registered by 15 March 2026.

Regarding imports, there are no restrictions on mobile phone importation. Importers must inform the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications and other relevant authorities about the models and quantities, and ongoing discussions with the National Board of Revenue and the Ministry of Commerce will determine duties. Authorities urged all parties to act responsibly and refrain from actions that could disrupt law and order.

DBTech/IH/EK/OR