NEIR rollout triggers network issues, NID mismatches

Many mobile phone users were unable to connect their handsets to mobile networks yesterday following the launch of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) system.

At the same time, numerous users complained that an unusually large number of handsets were shown as registered against their National Identification Numbers (NIDs), according to mobile operators and users.

Sujon Saha, a mobile user from Kurigram, said he has been unable to use his handset since yesterday morning despite receiving an SMS earlier confirming that his phone was registered in the NEIR database. He bought the handset on November 8 last year.

"I am currently using my SIM in another handset," he said.

Mobile operators said thousands of customers are facing similar problems.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Major General (retd) Md Emdad ul Bari said the commission has received a limited number of complaints so far and a technical team is working to resolve the issues.

He said the disruptions stemmed mainly from two causes. First, December 31 was the deadline for deregistering SIMs held by individuals with more than 10 connections. Of the 90 lakh SIMs identified under such users, around 80 lakh have already been deregistered, while the remaining 10 lakh are in the process of being deactivated.

Second, a large number of handsets were found to be registered under the same International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers, prompting the system to block new connections using those IMEIs.

Bari said the issues would be resolved shortly.

Shahed Alam, chief corporate officer of Robi Axiata, said some customers experienced difficulties accessing the network following the NEIR launch.

"We are working closely with the BTRC and the NEIR technology partner to identify the causes and resolve the issues as quickly as possible, while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements," he said.

Gazi Towhid Ahmed, head of corporate communications at Banglalink, said that despite prior confirmation from the BTRC that handsets connected to networks before December 31, 2025 would not be affected from January 1, 2026, unexpected disconnections occurred.

"Our initial assessment indicates that the disruptions were most likely caused by synchronisation and capacity limitations at the NEIR platform, despite continuous data submission from our side," he said, adding that Banglalink had earlier recommended a phased rollout to minimise consumer impact.

NEIR shows excess handsets

Many users also reported that an unusually high number of handsets were being shown against their NIDs.

Biplob Rahul said 212 handsets, or IMEIs, appeared to be registered under his NID, even though he currently uses only two phones.

In a Facebook post, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, special assistant to the chief adviser on telecom and ICT, said authorities had received more than three billion datasets from mobile operators, as the operators uploaded historical data along with current records.

As the system is currently displaying the migration date as the present date, he said, many users are seeing an inflated number of SIMs or handsets linked to their NIDs.

He added that the BTRC and mobile operators are working jointly to resolve the issue and that historical data will gradually be archived so that only currently active handsets are displayed, a process that will take some time.

Taiyeb also said fresh instructions have been issued to conduct another round of Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) on the NEIR system.

Clarifying that the system was not newly installed, he said the NEIR was first introduced in 2021 and has now been activated with additional functional features.

He further noted that the allowable number of SIMs per NID in Bangladesh was initially set at 20, later reduced to 15 and is now being lowered to 10. As a result, historical mapping naturally shows a higher number of handsets against many NIDs.

The system, he said, would help raise public awareness by allowing individuals to see how many SIMs and devices were used under their NID, which is important for identifying potential financial crimes linked to mobile banking or online gambling.