Police baton-charged mobile phone traders, who staged a sit-in at Karwan Bazar intersection in the capital on Sunday morning demanding various measures, including the withdrawal of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) system.
At least 20 protestors were injured and several others detained by the law enforcers at that time, said Vice-President of Mobile Business Community Bangladesh (MBCB) Shamim Mollah.
It was known that MBCB announced a nationwide shutdown of all mobile phone shops on Saturday, demanding the removal of the NEIR system and reduction of total taxes on mobile imports to 10 to 12 per cent. They also sought immediate release of those arrested in connection with an attack on the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) building.
As part of the programme, the traders staged a sit-in at Karwan Bazar intersection on Sunday morning blocking the road, and at one stage, got involved with altercations with the police. Following this, the police tried to disperse them using batons, water cannons, tear shells and sound grenades. The incident resulted in several clashes between the protestors and the law enforcers, making the adjacent areas, including Sonargaon intersection, Bashundhara City Shopping Complex, Panthapath and Kathalbagan into a battlefield.
Tejgaon Division Deputy Commissioner Ibne Mizan, on this matter, said that the mobile phone traders were blocking the Karwan Bazar intersection, causing inconvenience to the public. Police were forced to baton-charge them to clear the road.
He further said that the protestors then started throwing bricks at the police, injuring several personnel.
However, 8 to 10 protesters were detained at that time, and the police along with RAB and army members are trying to control the situation, he added.
Meanwhile, MBCB Vice-President Shamim Mollah said that they will remain on the streets until their demands are met.
Earlier, the government launched the NEIR system to curb the illegal mobile handset grey market and ensure the use of registered devices on mobile networks.
Protesting the implementation of NEIR, mobile phone traders besieged the BTRC building on Thursday last. Members of the Bangladesh Army then dispersed them and arrested many of the demonstrators. A Dhaka court on Friday rejected the bail pleas of 45 detainees and sent them to jail.
