NEIR is a system that verifies each phone’s unique IMEI number to stop unauthorized devices from accessing mobile networks.
Traders claim that unauthorized mobile phone will be closed once NEIR enforcement begins, and this warning led many mobile phone shops across Dhaka to remain shut today in protest against the government’s decision.
Many shop owners at major markets, including Bashundhara City, said they closed their stores from the morning. A trader, Md Kabir, who has been selling phones for ten years, said they want the government to reduce taxes and include them in a clear regulatory system.
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The Mobile Business Community Bangladesh (MBCB) confirmed that the shutdown is part of a nationwide protest. Its acting president, Shamim Mollah, said the NEIR system must be reformed urgently.
“NEIR must be restructured. We also want to pay tax,” he said, adding that the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission should remove barriers that make legal phone imports difficult.
Small traders argue that they cannot meet requirements such as obtaining a mother company’s certificate to import devices like the iPhone. They point out that import duties are 58 percent, while local assemblers receive major tax benefits.
When asked whether this makes traders illegal importers, Mollah said they are not illegal but buy devices that arrive through “luggage baggage”.
MBCB alleges that around eleven large businesses have formed a syndicate dominating phone imports and distribution, putting small and medium traders at risk. However, authorised sellers and local manufacturers have not joined the shutdown.
Experts say the protest shows rising tension between small traders and regulators. They believe NEIR could help block illegal devices, but sudden enforcement may hurt smaller businesses. Observers note that high taxes and strict import rules have pushed many traders towards informal channels. They warn that unless the system is made simpler, resistance may continue even after the deadline.
