The Mobile Business Community Bangladesh has demanded the unconditional release of 56 imprisoned mobile phone traders and the withdrawal of what they called false cases against innocent businesspeople. The demand was made during a human chain protest held on Tuesday afternoon in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka, where the organization’s general secretary, Abu Sayeed Piyas, spoke about the issue.

Speakers at the event said that decisions taken under the name of implementing NEIR have pushed around 20,000 small and medium mobile phone traders and about 2.5 million people dependent on the sector into uncertainty. They alleged that many traders were arrested in harassment cases for participating in peaceful protests. The leaders also noted that over 30 days of continuous demonstrations and shop closures have caused severe economic losses, leaving employees unpaid and traders unable to cover rent or loan installments.

Considering the national situation and the upcoming election, the organization announced a temporary suspension of its shutdown program, with all mobile showrooms set to reopen nationwide on January 22. However, they vowed to continue boycotting products from a specific syndicate accused of trying to monopolize the market under the NEIR initiative.