How do I check my IMEI from BTRC?

Dial *#06# on your phone to get the 15-digit IMEI. Then either SMS 'KYD ' to 16002, dial *16001# and enter the last 4 digits of your NID, or visit neir.btrc.gov.bd and enter the IMEI in the search field. You'll get a reply telling you if the phone is legally imported.

What is BTRC IMEI check by SMS?

Type a message in this format: 'KYD 123456789012345' (replace with your 15-digit IMEI) and send it to 16002 from your mobile. BTRC replies instantly with the registration status of the handset.

NEIR stands for National Equipment Identity Register — the centralized database BTRC operates to register every legal mobile device in Bangladesh. The consumer-facing portal is neir.btrc.gov.bd, where you can check IMEI status and register up to 5 devices per NID.

What happens if my phone is not registered with BTRC?

As of 2026, unregistered handsets lose network access after the grace period. If BTRC's NEIR reply says your IMEI isn't registered, you can still register it manually on neir.btrc.gov.bd using your NID, provided the handset was legally imported. Cloned, smuggled, or stolen IMEIs are permanently blocked.

Can I check multiple IMEIs at once?

Yes — log into neir.btrc.gov.bd with your NID. The portal lets you register and check up to five devices per NID. SMS and USSD are one IMEI per request.

Does BTRC IMEI check apply to phones bought before August 1, 2019?

Phones that were active on Bangladesh's networks as of December 16, 2025 were auto-registered by BTRC without any action from users. Phones bought or imported after that date must be verified and registered before they will stay on the network permanently.

What does the BTRC IMEI check reply mean?

The SMS reply from 16002 will say either that your IMEI is found in the NEIR database (legally imported, no action needed), or that it is not found (you need to register it via the NEIR portal or your phone will be blocked after the grace period).

BTRC IMEI Check: Verify Your Mobile Phone in Bangladesh (NEIR, 2026 Guide)

How to check IMEI from BTRC in Bangladesh — via SMS (KYD to 16002), USSD (*16001#), or the NEIR portal at neir.btrc.gov.bd. Step-by-step 2026 guide.

Updated April 2026 — covers the NEIR portal, USSD *16001#, and the December 2025 auto-registration rule.

Since 2019, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has operated a programme to block illegally imported mobile phones from local networks. The system went live on 1 August 2019, matured into the NEIR (National Equipment Identity Register) with a consumer portal in 2021, and as of December 2025 BTRC has auto-registered every handset that was active on the network and now strictly enforces IMEI registration for new phones. This post is a complete, up-to-date guide to the BTRC IMEI check — via SMS, USSD, and the NEIR portal.

Quick answer — how to check IMEI from BTRC

There are three ways to check an IMEI with BTRC in Bangladesh in 2026:

Dial *#06# on your phone to reveal the 15-digit IMEI.
SMS KYD <IMEI> to 16002 (example: KYD 101234567801234). BTRC replies instantly.
Dial *16001# from your SIM and enter the last 4 digits of your NID for the registration status.
Or visit neir.btrc.gov.bd and check / register up to 5 devices per NID.

If you just needed the answer, that’s it. The rest of this post explains what the reply means, what NEIR is, what to do if your phone isn’t registered, and the 2025–2026 policy changes.

Why BTRC checks IMEI (and why it matters in 2026)

On 30 July 2019, BTRC published an official notice announcing that illegally imported, cloned, or counterfeit mobile phones would be blocked from Bangladesh’s cellular networks starting 1 August 2019. The reason: the grey market was costing the government significant import duties, and unregistered handsets made it harder to trace phones used for illegal activity.

BTRC Notice: Illegally imported mobile phones can’t be used from 1st August 2019 in Bangladesh

Since then the system has matured considerably:

2019 — programme launched. SMS verification via KYD to 16002 goes live.
2021 — NEIR portal launched at neir.btrc.gov.bd, adding a web interface and NID-linked registration.
2022–2024 — multiple grace-period extensions to give time for consumer awareness and to handle tourist / visitor edge cases.
16 December 2025 — bulk auto-registration. BTRC declared every handset active on Bangladesh’s networks as of that date automatically registered, without requiring any user action.
January 2026 — strict enforcement. New handsets (imported or bought after the auto-registration cutoff) must be verified and registered before they will stay on the network permanently.

If you already owned your phone and used it in Bangladesh before 16 December 2025, you are auto-registered. If you bought a phone after that date — or you’re a traveller / returnee — read on.

How to check IMEI from BTRC by SMS

The SMS route is the fastest and works on every Bangladeshi mobile operator (GP, Robi, Banglalink, Teletalk, Airtel).

Find your IMEI. Dial *#06# — the phone shows the 15-digit IMEI for each SIM slot. Write down the number you want to check.
Compose the SMS. Open Messages, type KYD 15-digit-IMEI, for example:
```
KYD 101234567801234
```
Send to 16002. Standard SMS charges apply.
Read the reply. You’ll get an instant SMS from 16002:
- IMEI found / registered → nothing to do. The phone is legal.
- IMEI not found / not registered → go to neir.btrc.gov.bd and register manually.

If you purchased your mobile phone before 16 December 2025 and kept it active on a Bangladeshi network, BTRC auto-registered it in the December 2025 bulk run. You don’t need to do anything.

How to check IMEI from BTRC online (NEIR portal)

The NEIR portal at neir.btrc.gov.bd is the consumer-facing web interface to the same database. Use it when:

You want to register an IMEI (not just look it up)
You need to check multiple IMEIs (up to 5 devices per NID)
You want to see full status details — not just a yes/no SMS

Steps:

Go to neir.btrc.gov.bd.
Click Citizen / Registration and log in with your NID (National ID) details.
Enter the 15-digit IMEI in the IMEI search field.
The portal shows one of three statuses:
- Registered — legally imported, permanent network access
- Active but not in database — in the grace period, register manually
- Blocked — reported stolen, cloned, or smuggled, cannot use on any network
If the status is “active but not in database”, you can submit proof of purchase / import documents directly on the portal to register the IMEI to your NID.

How to check IMEI from BTRC via USSD (`*16001#`)

A newer method that works without SMS cost or internet:

Dial *16001# from the SIM registered under your NID.
When prompted, enter the last 4 digits of your NID.
You’ll receive a menu / reply with the registration status of every IMEI associated with that NID.

This is the quickest way to audit every phone linked to your NID — useful if you’ve bought a used device or lent out a SIM.

What happens if your phone isn’t registered

If BTRC’s reply (SMS, USSD, or portal) says your IMEI isn’t registered, you have three possibilities:

You bought it after 16 December 2025 and the seller didn’t register the import. Register via the NEIR portal with your purchase invoice and the importer’s details.
You brought it from abroad (returnee / visitor). BTRC allows a limited-time grace window for personal handsets; register on the portal with passport / travel documentation.
The IMEI is cloned, counterfeit, or reported stolen. There is no path to register — the handset will be permanently blocked. Dispute via BTRC’s complaint channel if you believe this is an error.

BTRC IMEI check — common questions

How do I check the IMEI of my phone? Dial *#06#. The phone shows a 15-digit IMEI number per SIM slot.

How do I verify if my phone is legal by BTRC? Use any of SMS (KYD to 16002), USSD (*16001#), or the NEIR portal (neir.btrc.gov.bd). All three query the same database.

What’s the BTRC SMS short code again? 16002 — same short code since 2019.

What’s the difference between SMS verification and the NEIR portal? SMS gives a quick yes/no. The NEIR portal shows full details and lets you register an IMEI manually, not just check it.

Does BTRC’s IMEI system apply to foreigners / visitors? Yes — short-term visitors generally get a grace period; longer stays require manual registration on the NEIR portal with passport details.

BTRC IMEI registration explained (NEIR internals)

For each handset legally imported into Bangladesh, the importer submits the IMEI to BTRC and it lands in the NEIR database — the National Equipment Identity Register. When you turn on a SIM, your mobile operator reports the handset’s IMEI to NEIR behind the scenes. NEIR cross-checks the IMEI against its allowlist.

If the IMEI is present and matches a legal import record, the handset stays on the network. If it isn’t — or is marked as stolen, cloned, or counterfeit — the operator eventually blocks the handset from all networks (GP, Robi, Banglalink, Teletalk, Airtel).

Cloned / duplicate IMEIs are the hardest failure mode: two different physical handsets broadcasting the same 15-digit number. NEIR flags these and blocks both until the real owner can prove ownership.

Honestly, this is a good initiative by BTRC. It nudges the grey market toward legitimate imports, helps trace stolen phones, and — now that the December 2025 auto-registration has happened — the friction for existing users is close to zero. For anyone buying a new phone in Bangladesh in 2026, just run the KYD SMS once before you pay and you’re done.