Mobile traders in the country staged a demonstration by forming a human chain protest in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka on Tuesday, January 20, demanding changes to the NEIR (National Equipment Identity Register) system.
They also condemned the arrest of 57 traders during previous peaceful protests, the use of rubber bullets, water cannons, tear shells, and sound grenades against unarmed traders’ families, as well as ongoing administrative harassment of mobile business owners.
The human chain, organised by the Mobile Business Community Bangladesh, took place in front of the National Press Club at around 11:15 am, with over 200 traders participating from different parts of the city.
Addressing the human chain, a small mobile shop owner Samiul Islam said, “We have been treated unfairly. When we raised legitimate demands, we were attacked and arrested. We want justice for the harassment we faced, and we demand the NEIR system be abolished.”
The key demands of the traders are as following.
Revision or scrapping of the NEIR system: Without changes, the mobile market will be monopolized by only nine companies, eliminating competition and giving them the power to manipulate prices.
Affordability for youth: Students will struggle to buy quality smartphones as prices rise sharply, limiting access to digital services and threatening the future of the country.
Impact on overseas gifts: Over 2 million phones brought by expatriate Bangladeshis will become unusable due to the complex and time-consuming registration process.
Accessibility for low-income and rural populations: Prices will rise so high in a monopolized market that smartphones and digital services will be out of reach for ordinary citizens.
Customer restrictions: Buying, selling, or transferring phones will become cumbersome, and mismatches between SIM and NID will make phone transactions nearly impossible, severely restricting user freedom.
Market stagnation: Without competition, companies will repeatedly sell old models and raise prices without restriction.
Security concerns: Lost phones will be difficult to track or recover, as criminals will use SIM-free devices, putting public safety at risk and forcing users to buy new phones.
Economic impact: Around 25,000 small and medium mobile business owners and over 2 million dependent individuals risk losing their livelihoods, posing a significant threat to the economy and social stability.
MHA/MHK