More than 30 people were detained after mobile handset traders attacked and vandalized the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) building in Dhaka’s Agargaon area on Thursday, January 1. The protest erupted around 4 p.m. against the government’s decision to launch the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) without reducing import duties. Police said the protesters threw bricks and stones at the building, breaking windows and damaging property. Tejgaon Division Deputy Commissioner of Police Ibne Mizan stated that the attack was sudden and that officers were working to bring the situation under control. He added that glass windows of the BTRC mosque were shattered while employees were praying, though no injuries were immediately reported. A BTRC official said several hundred protesters gathered on the street and hurled bricks, trapping staff inside the building even after office hours. The incident highlights growing tensions between mobile phone traders and authorities over the NEIR initiative, which makes handset registration mandatory. Police have taken control of the situation and detained those involved.