Violent clashes erupted at the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) office in Agargaon today as mobile traders protested the official launch of the National Equipment Identification Register (NEIR).
The unrest occurred just hours after the government initiated mandatory handset registration to curb the use of unofficial and smuggled devices.
On Thursday afternoon, a group of mobile traders launched an abrupt attack on the BTRC facility, resorting to vandalism and stone-pelting. Security forces struggled to contain the sudden surge of violence. Tejgaon Division Deputy Commissioner Ibn-e-Mizan confirmed that the protesters hurled bricks at the office, and police are currently working to bring the situation under control.
This is the second major protest by mobile traders in a month. The traders are opposing the NEIR system, which effectively disables handsets that are not registered in the national database—a move that significantly impacts the market for "grey market" or unofficial mobile phones.
The launch of the NEIR coincides with the government's recent decision to slash import taxes on official handsets, a dual strategy aimed at formalizing the mobile phone industry in Bangladesh.
