BTRC building attacked, vandalized

A group of miscreants attacked the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) building. They threw brick chips and pelted stones targetting the building , breaking the window glasses. Besides, the reception room on the ground floor was vandalized. Panic spread among the officials and employees inside the building during the attack.

From Thursday (January 1), the much-discussed NEIR (National Equipment Identity Register) system has been launched as per the instructions of the BTRC. As a result of this step, it will not be possible to use mobile handsets smuggled into the country's market again.

However, the handsets used earlier have been automatically registered by December 31. However, the handsets smuggled afterwards will not be active on the mobile network from today. This will ensure the production of mobile handsets in the country, the protection of domestic investors and the safety of ordinary users. Customers will also be protected from being scammed.

However, some traders who depend on the smuggling market have been affected by this decision of the BTRC.

For the past three months, these traders have been protesting against the introduction of the NEIR system by BTRC in various ways.

Eyewitnesses said that these traders mainly gathered in front of the BTRC building from 3 pm today. At one point, they started throwing brick chips and stones to the building. This is the first attack after the establishment of the magnificent BTRC building in Agargaon. The glass of the front window of the building was broken in the attack. They also vandalized the ground floor of the building.

BTRC Deputy Director (Media) Zakir Hossain Khan told Views Bangladesh that such an attack by miscreants on the BTRC building is unprecedented.

The ground and first floors of the building were damaged in the attack. During the attack, officials and employees were trapped inside the building and panic spread. He said, the NEI system has been introduced mainly to protect ordinary mobile customers from fraud, ensure availability of quality handsets at affordable prices, ensure cyber security and encourage mobile handset production in the country.

BTRC has repeatedly clarified that handsets used till December 31 are automatically registered. Even then, some miscreants carry out such attacks. He said that BTRC is monitoring the situation. Legal action will definitely be taken.