Bangladesh plans to lower import tariffs on smartphones in an effort to stabilize handset prices and tighten regulatory oversight ahead of the December 16 rollout of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR), the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology declared.
The decision was reached during a meeting on December 1 between representatives of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the Ministry of Commerce, the Posts and Telecommunications Division, and the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
The Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology stated that the government is taking steps to reduce the existing import duty of around 61% to promote legal imports and lower handset prices.
Authorities are also reviewing VAT and other taxes on locally assembled phones, with relevant ministries coordinating to ensure that any cut in import duties does not negatively impact the country’s 13 to 14 domestic manufacturing plants, which depend on foreign investment.
The meeting also discussed regulations for expatriate Bangladeshis returning to the country. Individuals holding BMET registration cards will be allowed to bring in three mobile phones tax-free, while other travelers may bring in two.
In addition, visitors will be able to use their personal smartphones without registration for up to 60 days, after which the devices must be formally registered.
Traders with stockpiled devices that were imported duty-free but have valid IMEI numbers will be allowed to legalize them at a lower tax rate before December 16, as agreed in talks between the BTRC and revenue officials. This facility, however, will exclude cloned or refurbished phones.
Additionally, no active mobile handset will face disconnection until the NEIR system becomes operational on December 16.
Authorities noted that the launch of NEIR will help prevent the influx of old or repurposed mobile phones into the country and curb the widespread practice of swapping casings to pass off electronic waste as new handsets. Customs checks are also being intensified at airports and land ports that receive flights from India, Thailand, and China.
Meanwhile, the forthcoming Telecommunications Act 2025 will introduce enhanced data protection provisions for eKYC and IMEI registration, including penalties for the improper use of registration data.
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