Daijiworld Media Network - Dhaka
Dhaka, Jan 6: Shocking scenes were witnessed in Bangladesh’s capital on Sunday as police clashed with protesting mobile phone traders at Karwan Bazar, with videos showing law enforcement personnel aggressively dragging children away during the crackdown.
According to reports, the traders began a blockade at the Karwan Bazar intersection in the morning, bringing vehicular movement to a standstill and causing major disruption. The protest was against the implementation of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR), a system aimed at curbing the use and sale of illegal mobile phones. Traders claimed the move would severely impact their businesses, the Dhaka Tribune reported.
Police moved in around noon to clear the busy intersection, leading to chaotic clashes between protesters and law enforcers. During the operation, police used water cannons, baton charges and sound grenades to disperse the crowd. Videos circulating on social media showed a crying child and her mother being forcefully dragged away by police, triggering public outrage at the use of force.
Authorities said the protesters were enforcing an illegal road blockade, causing serious public inconvenience. Several demonstrators were detained, while others fled into nearby lanes as police cleared the area.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between mobile phone traders and the government following a recent attack on the headquarters of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), allegedly carried out by protesters opposing the NEIR system.
Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus’ Special Assistant for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, reiterated the interim government’s zero-tolerance policy towards violence linked to regulatory enforcement. He said attacks on state institutions in the name of protest were unacceptable and would not be tolerated.
Taiyeb added that the government had already addressed traders’ concerns by reducing duties on legally imported handsets and providing an opportunity to regularise devices brought in through tax evasion.
Bangladesh launched the NEIR system last year to curb illegal handset sales, prevent financial fraud in mobile services, reduce theft, and strengthen revenue collection and national security. The regulation came into effect on December 16, 2025.