NEIR rollout set to reshape handset market

Stir fears over affordability and handset deactivation

TECHEXPRESS DESK | Published: November 30, 2025 23:14:31

For millions of Bangladeshis, the mobile phone has become the gateway to work, banking, education and daily communication. Yet this most familiar device is about to undergo a fundamental shift in how it is recognised and allowed to operate. From 16 December 2025, a new system known as the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) will determine whether a handset can stay connected - a change that could reshape the country's mobile landscape overnight.
NEIR works by verifying each handset's unique 15-digit IMEI number against a national database. Phones deemed "legal" will continue functioning normally, while those missing from the list will be prevented from making calls, sending texts, using data, or accessing mobile financial services. In addition to validating the device itself, the system links each authorised phone to a particular SIM card and user identity, meaning that any change of SIM or transfer of ownership will require re-registration.
Phones already active on Bangladeshi networks at the time of the rollout will be automatically recognised. But second-hand sets, handsets brought from abroad, and devices from unofficial markets must be registered manually through an online portal.
Authorities describe NEIR as a long-needed defence against rampant tax evasion and security vulnerabilities in the handset market. A significant share of the country's mobile phones enter informally, bypassing import duty and VAT. Officials estimate that this causes the exchequer to lose hundreds of crores of taka annually. The financial sector has also flagged risks: a Bangladesh Bank study in 2024 found that nearly three-quarters of digital fraud cases involved unregistered phones or SIMs.
The regulator argues that eliminating IMEI-cloning and unauthorised devices will strengthen investigations into theft, cybercrime and financial scams. By choking off grey-market supply, the policy is also expected to give domestic manufacturers a more level playing field.
Despite the official rationale, the system is drawing criticism from traders and consumers who rely on the informal market for affordable devices. For years, high import duties have made authorised handsets significantly more expensive, often close to double the price of grey-market models. Consequently, these unofficial devices dominate sales, and industry insiders believe they may account for anything from 60 to 90 per cent of phones currently in use.
Against this backdrop, many Bangladeshis fear they will suddenly find their handsets non-functional once NEIR is enforced. For households that depend on second-hand phones or share devices, navigating SIM-based re-registration requirements may be difficult. Retailers warn of unsold inventory and financial losses, and some have already staged protests. Consumer advocates argue that a universal switch-off could disproportionately harm lower-income and rural users, who rely heavily on cheaper unofficial devices for communication and access to mobile banking.
Officials insist that NEIR is as much a governance tool as a technical one. To cushion the impact, BTRC has proposed a one-time window allowing currently unauthorised handsets to be legalised. It has also recommended that the National Board of Revenue consider reducing import duties and VAT in order to narrow the price gap that fuels grey-market demand. Regulators say they will monitor authorised handset prices after implementation to prevent abrupt increases.
Consumers can check their phone's IMEI by dialling *#06# and verifying it by sending KYD IMEI to 16002. Anyone using a phone bought abroad, received as a gift, or acquired second-hand should complete registration through the NEIR portal and keep proof of purchase or import documents. After NEIR goes live, changing SIMs or passing the device to another person will require fresh registration.