BNP to review NEIR policy if voted to power: Khasru

BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury on Sunday said their party will review the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) policy if it returns to office, stressing that any changes will be made in consultation with all stakeholders.

He made the remarks at a roundtable titled “NEIR: Implementation Framework, National Interest, and Citizen Concerns’, organised by the Centre for Technology Journalism (CTJ) at a city hotel.

Khasru questioned why essential digital devices continue to cost more despite large government spending.

“The government says it invested Tk67,000 crore in ‘Digital Bangladesh’. What is the outcome? Local assemblers enjoy policy preferences, but how much value are they adding?” he said.

He warned that policies benefiting a particular syndicate would undermine competitiveness.

“Domestic assemblers already enjoy nearly 50% preferential benefits. If others are forced out and a single group captures the market, the result will not be good,” he added.

BNP Chairperson’s Adviser Zahir Uddin Swapon said any policymaking must prioritise national and public interest.

“We must assess whether a policy benefits citizens or enriches a syndicate. Policies cannot be designed for individual gain,” he said.

Ganosamhati Andolan’s Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki criticised unilateral decision-making, saying the NEIR policy threatens jobs in the sector at a time of limited employment opportunities.

He said stakeholder exclusion reflects practices seen under past authoritarian systems.

“Policies must support small and medium enterprises so they can continue to operate,” he added.