We protect our phones with cases, screen protectors, and complex passcodes. But deep within the settings of your device lies a 15-digit code that is more important than your password: the IMEI. Usually, it’s written on a small label either on top of the box or on the phone itself.

Bangladesh’s mobile market has grown rapidly with rising incomes and smartphone use, yet the industry has been steadily hollowed out by a fast-expanding grey market that undermines the formal ecosystem.

Bangladesh is set to officially launch the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) system on December 16, 2025, to curb mobile smuggling, tax evasion, and the circulation of cloned or refurbished devices.

With the government implementing NEIR to curb illegal handsets, we speak with Lang Guo, Country Manager of HONOR Bangladesh. He explains how this move protects consumers and why official devices are the safer choice.

Bangladesh’s mobile market is at a turning point. The government is rolling out the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) to block unregistered and smuggled phones.