MAHMUDUL HASAN

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has decided to restart joint drives against the marketing, sale and distribution of illegal mobile handsets after more than three years of inactivity.

The decision was taken at a recent commission meeting following a proposal from its Enforcement and Inspection (E&I) Directorate.

Alongside mobile phones, the regulator will also take action against other illegal radio and telecom devices across the country.

The BTRC has long carried out joint operations with law enforcement agencies to curb illegal telecom equipment, including unauthorised mobile phones and wireless devices.

While enforcement against items such as signal jammers, boosters, repeaters and illegal VoIP equipment has continued, action against illegal handset traders has remained suspended since April 2023.

According to BTRC documents, the enforcement activities were paused due to the rollout of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) system and preparations for the 13th national parliamentary election in 2026.

The NEIR system was introduced in 2021 to verify legal mobile devices by linking IMEI numbers with national ID and SIM data. However, key features like blocking illegal handsets were never activated, leaving the system largely inactive.