Muktdesh Desk: The National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) system is being launched to prevent the use of illegally imported and unregistered mobile phones in the country. The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has said that once it is launched from December 16, no unauthorized or unofficial handsets will be allowed to be used on the country’s network.
Faiz Ahmed Tayyab, Special Assistant to the Principal Advisor in Charge of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, gave this information at a press conference held at the BTRC boardroom in Agargaon in the capital on Wednesday (October 29).
Faiz Ahmed Tayyab said that the launch of NEIR will usher in a new chapter in the country’s telecommunications sector. It is a central system, where the internationally approved IMEI number of each mobile phone will be linked to the user’s National Identity Card (NID) and the SIM used. This will make it possible to easily identify legitimate and illegitimate phones.
He further said that if NEIR is launched, the use of illegally imported or counterfeit phones will be stopped. This will save the government from huge revenue loss every year and the domestic mobile manufacturing industry will be protected. At the same time, it will be possible to quickly identify and block phones used in theft or crime, which will play an effective role in curbing crime.
Faiz Ahmed Tayyab said that NEIR is not just a technical system, it is a national commitment to ensure citizen security, state order and transparency in the telecommunications sector.
He said that in order to implement this initiative, along with BTRC, the country’s 4 mobile operators – Grameenphone, Robi Axiata, Banglalink and Teletalk – are working to develop their Equipment Identity Register (EIR) systems.
Faiz Ahmed Tayyab also said that the launch of NEIR will help prevent Mobile Financial Services (MFS) fraud, SIM fraud and various scams. This will strengthen eKYC verification, strengthen the security of the telecom sector and increase revenue collection.
Addressing media workers and operators, he said that from December 16, the telecom sector of Bangladesh will enter a new, safe and transparent era. I request everyone to spread awareness about this initiative and encourage the use of legitimate handsets.
BTRC Chairman Major General (Retd) Emdad-ul-Bari and senior officials of the commission were present at the press conference.
