Mobile phone traders across Bangladesh have announced the closure of all handset retail shops from today (19 November), protesting the detention of Sumash Tech CEO Abu Sayeed Piyas by the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
Shamim Mollah, vice president of Mobile Business Community, Bangladesh (MBCB), made the announcement at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) on 19 November. Arif Hossain, president of the organisation’s Chattogram unit, also spoke at the briefing. They alleged that the detention of Piyas, who serves as MBCB secretary, is a move to disrupt their protest against the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR), which they claim will shrink the mobile market.
The organisation warned that if Piyas is not released by today, they will launch a tougher nationwide movement and "bring the country to a standstill". After the briefing, business leaders were seen heading towards the DB office on Minto Road.
Earlier, around 3am today, smartphone and gadgets businessman Piyas was picked up by DB officials. His wife, Sumaiya Chowdhury, confirmed the matter and said that the police also seized Piyas’s mobile phone.
The detention came into focus after Mizanur Rahman Sohel, head of online at Dainik Bhorer Kagoj and secretary of the Online Editors Alliance, was also detained by the DMP DB last night. Mizanur was released this morning after being held for over 10 hours. In a Facebook post, Mizanur said DB officers picked him up from his home around 12am and kept him in lockup without explanation, releasing him around 10:15am. He claimed his detention was intended to obstruct a planned press conference by mobile phone traders opposing NEIR.
The matter was raised in a government meeting, where Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam said he was unaware of the incident and would investigate. Journalist Zulkarnain Saer alleged that Mizanur’s detention was carried out at the behest of Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, a special assistant to the chief adviser on posts, telecommunications and IT, to benefit a syndicate pushing NEIR without consulting broader industry stakeholders. Mizanur echoed this claim, stating that the measure would benefit only nine traders while harming thousands of mobile phone businesses and undermining free-market principles.
Faiz and the telecom ministry rejected the allegations, calling them baseless, politically motivated, and attempts by a vested group to tarnish his reputation. Faiz said NEIR is implemented for national security purposes and that law enforcement acts independently, adding he has no personal or professional connection with Mizanur.
