39 Million Connections Linked to a Single IMEI Number in Bangladesh

In a startling revelation, Bangladesh's National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) system has uncovered a shocking reality about mobile phone usage in the country. According to government analysis, over 39 million mobile connections were activated under a single IMEI number over the past decade. The information was shared by Faiz Ahmed Tayyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for Post, Telecommunications, and ICT, on January 2, 2026.

The NEIR system, launched to track mobile devices, has brought to light widespread use of cloned phones. Numerous unrealistic and pattern-based IMEI numbers such as "1111111111111," "0000000000000," and "9999999999999" are still active in the network. The government has decided not to block these IMEI numbers but rather tag them as “grey,” allowing them to remain operational while avoiding drastic steps that could cause public inconvenience.

Faiz Ahmed Tayyeb explained that millions of low-quality counterfeit phones, lacking necessary safety tests, are being used across the country's four mobile operators. These cloned devices are also linked to an increasing number of digital frauds, as revealed by Bangladesh Bank’s 2024 report, which showed that 73% of digital fraud in the country occurs with unregistered devices.

The revelation has sparked concern about the scale of fraud in the mobile market, with counterfeit phones being sold under the guise of new, official devices. The government is now focused on curbing this illegal market by strengthening the NEIR system, which officially launched on January 1, 2026.