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Published : 15 Dec 2025, 08:50 PM
The mandatory registration of mobile phones under the National Equipment Identification Register (NEIR) will come into force from Jan 1, instead of Dec 16.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) made the announcement in a media statement issued on Monday.
According to the statement, many traders have failed to submit information on their unsold inventory within the original deadline of Dec 15, a day before the launch.
Considering the difficulties faced by traders who are yet to submit the required information, the BTRC decided to defer the implementation of the NEIR system until New Year.
As a result, the deadline for submitting details of unsold and stockpiled handsets has been extended to Dec 31.
The statement said traders must submit IMEI numbers and other relevant handset information in the Microsoft Excel format to [email protected] by Dec 31 for inclusion in the NEIR system.
The initial launch announcement had sparked protests from mobile phone traders.
The government has claimed that these traders import low-quality, cloned, refurbished and used handsets through illegal channels by evading taxes. The NEIR system is being introduced to curb such practices.
Once the NEIR system is implemented, mobile phones imported through illegal channels will no longer be able to connect to local networks. Buying and selling illegally brought-in used phones will also be halted.
After the mandatory registration comes into effect, only government-approved, legally imported handsets will be allowed to remain connected to mobile networks. However, handsets currently in use will remain connected after the NEIR system is launched.
