Mobile phone traders besieged and vandalised the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) building on Thursday afternoon, protesting the implementation of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR), which they described as without easing import procedures or rationalising taxes.
Later around evening, the traders were dispersed from the BTRC building area. Many protesters were reportedly detained by the army during the demonstration.
The incident took place following an altercation during a meeting between mobile phone traders and the BTRC chairman.
At one stage, traders reportedly attacked the commission building, hurling bricks and stones from outside, which damaged glass panels, doors and windows of the premises.
Shamim Mollah, vice-president of the Mobile Business Community Bangladesh, accused the government of deceiving traders, claiming that during a meeting in the first week of December, the ICT affairs special assistant had assured them of a three-month grace period before shutting down unofficial phones.
A shattered glass window at BTRC building at Agargaon in Dhaka after mobile phone traders besieged and vandalised the premises on January 1, 2025, protesting the implementation of NEIR. Photo: Courtesy
A shattered glass window at BTRC building at Agargaon in Dhaka after mobile phone traders besieged and vandalised the premises on January 1, 2025, protesting the implementation of NEIR. Photo: Courtesy
"We were told that no imported phones would need registration within the next three months. However, the BTRC suddenly implemented NEIR today," he said.
Rejecting the revised tax rate of 43% as unacceptable, Shamim added that taxes on mobile phone imports should be reduced to between 5% and 20%, in line with international practices.
Meanwhile, BTRC Deputy Director (Media) Jakir Hossain Khan termed the attack on the commission building as "unwarranted" and said legal action would be taken over the incident.
He said the NEIR was implemented after considering the demands of the traders and added that the cabinet had approved a tax reduction at its meeting earlier in the day.
"The process of addressing the traders' other demands is also underway," he said.
