Bangladesh will implement the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) system from December 16, a government initiative designed to prevent the sale and use of illegal mobile phones.
The announcement was made on Wednesday at a press conference at the BTRC building at Agargaon, Dhaka, by Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, special assistant to the chief adviser on Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology.
Faiz Ahmad explained that the NEIR system will link each mobile phone’s internationally approved IMEI number with the user’s national ID and the SIM being used. This will allow authorities to easily distinguish between legal and illegal handsets. Once operational, the system will block the use of illegally imported or counterfeit devices.
Highlighting the system’s benefits, Faiz Ahmad cited data from several organisations. According to Bangladesh Bank’s 2024 report, 73% of digital fraud occurs via illegal or unregistered devices. NEIR will ensure that such devices can no longer function on the network.
Referring to BTRC data, he said that in 2023, 85% of e-KYC fraud involved unregistered or reprogrammed phones, while around 180,000 phone theft complaints were recorded. NEIR will automatically block these devices from network access.
He also noted that, according to the National Board of Revenue (NBR), illegal phone imports result in an annual revenue loss of around Tk500 crore, which NEIR could help prevent.
Faiz Ahmad expressed hope that the system will protect government revenue, safeguard domestic mobile manufacturing, and help combat crime, as stolen or illegally used devices can be easily traced and blocked. He emphasised that NEIR represents not just a technical measure but a national commitment to citizen safety, state discipline, and transparency in telecommunications.
BTRC Chairman Major Gen (Retd) Md Emdad ul Bari added that NEIR will also provide information about the SIM used in each mobile, facilitating tracing when necessary.