Dhaka, Sunday, January 4, 2026 – The number of fake mobile IDs in Bangladesh has surged to 39.12 million instances over the past decade. The rollout of the National Equipment Identity Register exposed this through data analysis. Officials cite duplicate IMEI numbers as the key issue. The system launched on January 1.
This revelation highlights vulnerabilities in Bangladesh’s telecom sector. It affects consumer safety and national revenue. The problem is linked to tax evasion and crime across South Asia, where grey markets thrive.
IMEI Cloning Bangladesh: Scale of the Issue
IMEI cloning in Bangladesh has reached alarming levels. NEIR data shows one fake IMEI, 99999999999999, appeared 39.12 million times. This spans document IDs, MSISDNs, and device records.
Other duplicate IMEI numbers include 440015202000, which is linked to approximately 1.95 million devices. IMEI 35227301738634 is associated with 1.75 million handsets. IMEI 35275101952326 appears on 1.52 million units.
A single-digit IMEI “0” ties to 586,331 active devices. Placeholder IMEIs, such as 0000000000000, 1111111111111, and 9999999999999, operate across all four mobile networks.
Authorities identified at least 24 duplicate IMEI numbers. Each links to over 100,000 devices. Examples include 35464802000025, with 539,648 devices, and 35868800000015, with 532,867.
Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, special assistant to the chief adviser on posts, telecommunications, and ICT, stated: “Millions of people are unknowingly using low-quality counterfeit phones. These devices have never undergone radiation or SAR testing, yet they are active across all networks. We will not shut them down now, only tag them as grey.”
He added that some duplicate IMEI numbers may be associated with IoT devices, such as CCTV systems. Operators previously could not differentiate these from mobile phones. BTRC now tags legal IoT imports separately.
NEIR Rollout Bangladesh: Implementation and Challenges
The NEIR rollout in Bangladesh began on January 1. It aims to verify devices and curb illegal imports. The system integrates with operators’ equipment identity registers.
A Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology press release noted that no immediate blocks were in place. Devices with fake mobile IDs from Bangladesh are marked grey. This avoids public disruption.
The grace period lasts 90 days. No cloned handsets will face disconnection at this time. The decision follows protests by traders.
On December 7, 2025, traders surrounded the BTRC offices. They blocked roads over the planned December 16 launch. BTRC postponed to January 1.
Launch day saw vandalism at BTRC headquarters. A court jailed 45 arrested traders the next day.
Technical glitches emerged post-launch. Users reported excessive devices under their NIDs. Taiyeb explained via social media: “We have received more than three billion data sets from operators. This means operators uploaded everything into the system, including historical data.”
He said: “As the migration date is shown as the current date, many people are seeing a higher number of active SIMs or handsets under their NID. Gradually, historical data will be archived in the background, and only currently active handsets will be shown. This will take some time.” BTRC and operators collaborate on fixes.
Duplicate IMEI Numbers: Links to Fraud and Theft
Duplicate IMEI numbers fuel criminal activities. A 2024 Bangladesh Bank report states 73% of digital fraud uses unregistered devices.
Joint BTRC and mobile financial service data show 85% of 2023 e-KYC fraud involved illegal or reprogrammed phones.
In 2023, 180,000 phone thefts were reported. Most devices remained unrecovered. Hundreds of thousands more went unreported.
Grey market imports exacerbate the issue. Of 1.98 million active iPhones, 1.95 million entered illegally. Among 23.1 million Samsung phones, 14.9 million avoided taxes.
Ten IMEIs account for nearly five million phones. This highlights the prevalence of industrial-scale IMEI cloning in Bangladesh.
Officials describe selling counterfeits as official devices as unprecedented deception. Taiyeb said, “We knew clone phones were widespread, but we did not realize the depth of this crisis. This network must be dismantled.”
NEIR enforces registration with NID. Users can verify their IMEI by dialing *16001#. It blocks lost devices after police reports are filed.
Background
NEIR originated to combat smuggling and counterfeits. BTRC established it under the Telecommunication Act. Initial plans date back to 2020, with a go-live date in 2021 for testing purposes.
Technical integrations and the COVID-19 pandemic caused delays. The 2026 rollout mandates full compliance.
The system covers 98.48% of the mobile population in Bangladesh. It links IMEI to NID for traceability.
Past efforts blocked illegal sets from the December 2025 plans. Protests highlighted high taxes of 35% to 60%. These drive grey markets.
NEIR rollout in Bangladesh aligns with regional efforts. Similar systems operate in India and Pakistan to curb fraud.
What’s Next
BTRC plans stricter enforcement post-90 days. Monitoring will continue for duplicate IMEI numbers. Upgrades may address IoT distinctions.
The initiative could help reduce the use of fake mobile IDs in Bangladesh and enhance security. Stakeholders urge public awareness for legal purchases.
As NEIR matures, it may help curb the use of fake mobile IDs in Bangladesh and foster a secure telecom ecosystem.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, January 4th, 2026
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