The government is losing thousands of crores of revenue due to lack of control of illegal and fake mobile phones, Mobile factory manufacturers are in for a challenge
Along with that, the security system of the country is also at risk.
At least 40 per cent of the country's total mobile-handset market is already occupied by illegal-counterfeit handsets. In addition to risking the investment and business of mobile factories, the government will also lose thousands of crores in revenue.
Traders, experts and policy makers are looking at the rapid implementation of BTRC's National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) as a solution to overcome such a situation.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission launched NEIR in 2021 after several years of review with all stakeholders including mobile phone manufacturers' organizations, mobile phone operators, law enforcement agencies. Through this system it is possible to effectively prevent illegal import and sale of fake mobile phones.
The Mobile Phone Industry Owners Association of Bangladesh (MIOB) says that the introduction of the NEIR system will stop illegal mobile phone imports and tax evasion. Based on which the country's major mobile phone importers set up factories locally. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission implemented NEIR system in 2021. But the main function of blocking illegal and fake phones has not been implemented. But NEIR is an effective system of Govt.
For a mysterious reason, it was decided from the top level of the previous government that some key functions or systems should be closed from the original plan and design of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR). By which the illegal mobiles could be stopped automatically.
In the emerging situation, they sought protection from Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser to the interim government, citing the challenging situation. They also reported the matter to Post and Telecommunication Adviser Nahid Islam. A letter has also been sent to the NBR chairman.
President of MIOB, Founder and Managing Director of Edison Industries Zakaria said that the mobile phone market in the country is about Tk 15 thousand crores. Three to four lakh people are directly involved in this industry.
Mobile factory entrepreneurs and experts say that today terrorists are able to establish communication through Wi-Fi or any other technology without SIM card. If the IMEI number of the mobile phone is registered with the SIM, it is possible to prevent these terrorists through the IP address and IMEI. The NEIR system can easily establish this security.
They said the quality of illegally imported handsets is not checked. In most cases the consumer does not get the real product and in many cases the used product is sold as new which is against the Telecom Regulatory Commission policy. There are no statistics on illegally imported handsets in the Commission's database. If the mobile phones are registered under the NIDs of the consumers, no one else can use them illegally, and handset theft will be greatly reduced. Moreover, various acts of harassment will also be stopped.
MIOB Vice-President and Ismartu Technology CEO Rezwanul Haque said, "We have come to know that out of 19 lakh 76 thousand iPhones operating in the network of mobile phone operators in the country, 19 lakh 55 thousand are illegal. This data proves how alarming the situation is. How much revenue has the government lost in just one iPhone? We are in the face of destruction.''
Meanwhile, BTRC has taken the initiative to keep the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) fully functional to block illegal phones. It remains to be seen how quickly the regulatory body can roll it out.
