Taiyeb urges registration of foreign-bought mobile phones

Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, has emphasized the importance of registering mobile phones brought from abroad, calling it a standard practice worldwide.

In a Facebook post on Friday morning, Taiyeb highlighted that registration helps prevent a range of issues, including incorrect SIM or mobile financial service (MFS) registration, crimes involving SIM cards or mobile financing, online scams and gambling, the use of cloned phones, unpaid royalties, VAT and customs evasion, and the illegal import of phones from neighboring countries.

He also stressed that registration protects Bangladesh’s local handset manufacturing industry.

Taiyeb urged citizens to follow proper procedures when bringing phones into the country and to ensure that SIM cards are registered under their own names, which simplifies the registration process and avoids potential issues.

The statement comes ahead of the launch of National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) on December 16, Victory Day. The service, announced at a recent BTRC press conference, aims to ensure that only approved, legally imported and standard mobile devices remain active in Bangladesh.

Expatriates may bring one or two mobile phones from abroad duty-free and register them under NEIR rules. For more than two phones, registration fees apply as per existing NBR regulations. Taiyeb also called on citizens to provide suggestions to make handset registration, de-registration, and re-registration easier.

How to register foreign-bought handsets:

Step 1: Visit neir.btrc.gov.bd and create a personal account.

Step 2: Go to the “Special Registration” section and enter the handset’s IMEI number.

Step 3: Upload scanned copies or photos of required documents, such as passport pages with visa/immigration stamps or purchase receipts, and submit.

Step 4: Valid handsets will be registered automatically. Invalid devices will result in an SMS notification and network disconnection.

For users without internet access, registration and verification support is available at mobile operators’ customer care centers or via USSD code *16161#. Existing handsets already in use before December 16 will be automatically registered.

The BTRC reminded users to ensure their handsets have verified IMEI numbers, aiming to reduce fraud, theft and cybercrime while creating a more secure digital ecosystem in Bangladesh.