BTRC blocks 81,862 illegal handsets

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has identified and blocked 81,862 unauthorised handsets from connecting to the country’s telecommunication network.

According to BTRC, 2,27,064 handsets attempted to connect to the network from October 1 to October 2, and 1,45,202 of those were identified as legal.

The regulator began blocking unauthorised handsets from October 1 for the first time in Bangladesh.

It is allowing owners of illegal phones to submit required information to the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) website within 12 hours of activating their devices.

Any user can learn whether their handsets are legal or not by typing and sending KYD fifteen-digit IMEI number to 16002. A phone’s IMEI number can be found on its box, and users can also find them by dialing the code *#06#.

The NEIR system will help to prevent theft and misuse of mobile handsets, Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar had recently said.

A person can buy a total of eight handsets from abroad for their personal use. Of those, only two can be bought duty-free, while duty charges will be imposed on the rest, the commission said.

Such users can register their handsets by visiting the website – neir.btrc.gov.bd, it added.

The telecom regulator also urged the customers to check the legality of mobile handsets before purchase to avoid any inconvenience.

If someone sells illegal handsets, the seller will have to refund the handset’s price to the customer following a claim, and legal action will be taken against the retailers for selling illegal handsets, the BTRC said.