The Mobile Phone Industry Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (MIOB)said the implementation of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) is a major step towards consumer protection and creating a disciplined mobile phone market.
MIOB made the remarks at a press conference titled “Towards a Safer Bangladesh through NEIR” held at Inter Continental Dhaka on Tuesday. Industry leaders and stakeholders attended the event.
The association said NEIR will help identify and control illegal, counterfeit and stolen mobile phones.
This will reduce phone cloning, fraud and other crimes, and ensure better security for consumers. MIOB also welcomed the government’s decision to reduce smartphone import duties, saying it will encourage legal imports and fair competition.
At the same time, protests have been taking place in parts of Dhaka against the NEIR rollout.
A section of mobile phone traders has shut shops and staged demonstrations near key areas, including the BTRC office, demanding a delay in implementation and further tax relief. Some protests disrupted traffic and turned violent, and a court later sent around 50 people to jail over the incidents.
Despite the unrest, the association said that over Tk3,000 crore has been invested in 18 smartphone manufacturing plants in Bangladesh. The sector employs about 50,000 people directly and supports another 50,000 through sales, service and retail. Around 30 percent of the workforce are women.
Jakaria Shahid, president of MIOB, praised the government for implementing NEIR but strongly condemned vandalism and violence. He said policy disputes should be resolved peacefully and added that a stable, investment-friendly environment is crucial for the future growth of the smartphone industry.
