Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Mahmud Hossain has assured that no mobile phone purchased before December 16 will be blocked under the upcoming National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) system.

Speaking as the chief guest at a seminar organized by Telecom and Technology Reporter’s Network, Bangladesh (TRNB) on Thursday, Hossain said measures are being taken to bring all existing handsets in the market under legal channels for public security, with a full solution expected by December.

“Network quality depends heavily on handset quality. After NEIR rollout, traders must honour their commitment to maintain prices,” he added, emphasizing the need to eliminate misinformation and confusion among users.

The NEIR service is scheduled to launch on Victory Day to restore market discipline and improve security.

Business representatives dismissed fears of price hikes following the rollout, assuring that handset prices will remain unchanged.

Regarding system security, BTRC Director-General Aminul Haque said, “It’s not impossible; unless the BTRC DG himself is compromised. Once NEIR is launched, customers can block lost or stolen phones from home.”

Mobile Phone Industrial Owners of Bangladesh (MIOB) President Zakaria Shahid reinforced that NEIR is a matter of national security, not a private initiative.

He also called for a more flexible tax structure to boost mobile phone penetration and urged authorities to ease unnecessary restrictions on local industries.

Distributor Association President Abdullah Al Harun Raju noted that only a small fraction; around 500 to 1,000 people, are involved in grey-market phone trading, while the majority of sales workers, about 18,000 out of 20,000, sell legally sourced phones.