Dhaka, Jan. 2 -- A Dhaka court has sent 45 people to jail over vandalism at the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) building during protests against the introduction of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR).

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Israt Jahan passed the order on Friday after police sought to keep the suspects in custody.

The incident took place on Thursday when mobile handset traders staged a protest outside the BTRC headquarters in Agargaon, opposing the rollout of the NEIR system. During the protest, the BTRC building was attacked and vandalised.

Following the incident, Muhammad Ashrafuj Jaman Jahed, assistant director of the BTRC's Legal and Licensing Division, filed a case with Sher-e-Bangla N...