Mobile phone sellers call countrywide shutdown

Mobile phone traders across the country have announced a nationwide shutdown from today in protest against the government’s plan to introduce the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR).

Traders say the new system will put small businesses at risk while giving large companies greater control over the market.

The announcement came on Wednesday at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU).

Leaders of the Mobile Business Community Bangladesh said the government’s decision to enforce NEIR from 16 December would create severe pressure on small retailers.

They alleged that the system would shrink the open market and provide special advantages to a select group of major manufacturers. Under NEIR, every handset must be registered with IMEI, NID and SIM information, which traders say will make it difficult to use devices brought from abroad, gift phones, and handsets sold in the open market.

“A major portion of our business depends on these devices. NEIR will seriously affect millions of customers and small traders,” one leader said.

They further claimed the Mobile Phone Manufacturers Association (MIOB) would gain near-monopoly control over the market through the system. MIOB already enjoys tax benefits unavailable to small traders, they added.

Traders also said the Telecom Ordinance 2025 does not clearly mandate the immediate implementation of NEIR. They urged the government to suspend the rollout and hold wider consultations with stakeholders.

At the press briefing, speakers warned that if the association’s secretary Abu Saeed Pias is not released by Wednesday, they will launch a nationwide movement and may even “bring the country to a standstill”.

Quoting family members they alleged that DB personnel picked up Piyas, CEO of Sumashtech, from his Mirpur-1 residence late Tuesday night.

His wife, Sumaiya Chowdhury, alleged that detectives picked him up from their Mirpur–1 residence around 3:00am on Wednesday and seized his mobile phone.

However, DB Additional Commissioner Shafiqul Islam and DMP Deputy Commissioner Taslimur Rahman declined to comment when contacted.

The government says NEIR aims to block stolen, unregistered and illegally imported handsets from accessing mobile networks. Traders argue that, in its current form, the system will destabilise the market and increase customer suffering.