The Mobile Business Community Bangladesh has alleged that a vested group is attempting to form a new syndicate in the country’s mobile handset market under the guise of implementing the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR).
The group claimed that the process is excluding 60–70 percent of traders, while favoring around 30 percent influential businesses.
At a press conference held on Wednesday at the Dhaka Reporters Unity, leaders of the association said they do not want NEIR to be scrapped entirely. Instead, they urged the government to take a year to restructure the system and hold a roundtable discussion with traders before implementing it.
Senior Vice-President Shamim Molla, central leader and Chattogram Business Forum President Arifur Rahman, Shah Alam Bokhari, and traders from various markets were present at the briefing.
Leaders also alleged that Bangladesh Mobile Business Community General Secretary Piyas was arrested in a planned attempt to sabotage the event. They claimed he was detained at around 3am on Tuesday solely to prevent the press conference from taking place, accusing certain brands and market-controlling groups of involvement.
One leader said the syndicate that wants to dominate the market had specifically targeted their general secretary. He reiterated that mobile traders are not demanding the cancellation of NEIR, but a year-long restructuring process and a government-led roundtable before rollout.
‘Millions Will Be Affected by Higher Prices’
Arifur Rahman warned that restricting the sale of mobile phones legally brought under baggage rules would severely impact hundreds of thousands of traders.
He said that NEIR could lead to up to 57 percent tax growth on handsets, pushing prices beyond the reach of low-income groups including day laborers, rickshaw-pullers, tailors, lower–middle-income families, and students.
“Consumers have long benefited from affordable phones with good configurations available in the grey market,” he said. “In an AI-driven future, making mobile phones more expensive will hinder technological progress. It is unacceptable to allow only 18 license holders to control the entire market.”
Demand to Increase Number of Licenses
The organization alleged that the country’s mobile handset market has become overly concentrated, with only 18 licensed importers. They argued that in a nation of 20 crore people, such a small number of licenses is unreasonable and called for increasing the number to at least 5,000 to ensure fair competition and market balance.
Traders Offended by BTRC Chairman’s Comment
Expressing anger over a recent comment by the BTRC chairman, Shamim Molla said traders felt insulted by his remark referring to them as “thieves.” He questioned how the sale of government-approved products under baggage rules could be considered illegal.
Molla said traders are willing to pay taxes but require a rational policy framework. He urged Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus and relevant advisers to hold a public hearing and seek public opinion before finalizing NEIR implementation.
Warning of Public Backlash
Business leaders warned that implementing NEIR under pressure from syndicates would negatively impact millions of mobile users. They cautioned that widespread public dissatisfaction could become difficult to control.
They said the government should avoid steps that could provoke unrest, adding that they may call for a mass movement if necessary.