Used mobile phones must be deregistered before transfer or sale: BTRC

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has said that used mobile phones must be deregistered before being transferred or sold.

The directive was issued after the National Equipment Identity Register system became fully operational.

In a notice published by the BTRC Spectrum Division on Tuesday, February 3, the commission said the NEIR system has been fully implemented across Bangladesh since January 1 to ensure transparency and security in mobile phone management.

The BTRC said that as a result of the system’s launch, all mobile phones currently active on the country’s mobile networks have been automatically registered. This will help effectively control the use of illegal and smuggled mobile handsets.

The notice added that if a SIM card is changed on a phone registered in one’s name, or if the handset is transferred or sold to another person, deregistration is mandatory. This means the handset must be removed from registration linked to the national identity card.

For deregistration, the last four digits of the national identity card or passport used at the time of SIM purchase will be required.

The BTRC advised users to visit neir.btrc.gov.bd for detailed information. Assistance can also be obtained by calling the BTRC call centre at 100 or by visiting the nearest customer care centre of the relevant mobile operator.