Bangladesh on course to be self-reliant in smartphone manufacturing | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Saturday
June 14, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2025
Bangladesh on course to be self-reliant in smartphone manufacturing

Telecom

Abbas Uddin Noyon & Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury
29 November, 2020, 12:00 pm
Last modified: 29 November, 2020, 01:03 pm

Related News

  • Relationship between Bangladesh, India cordial, but largely depends on governments: BGMEA president tells ANI
  • Dhaka markets sluggish post-Eid: Chicken, vegetable prices fall
  • People won't accept election date before July Charter is implemented: NCP on Yunus-Tarique meeting
  • CA Yunus discusses economic recovery, Rohingya education with ex-British PM Gordon Brown
  • At least 17 children drowned across country in three days

Bangladesh on course to be self-reliant in smartphone manufacturing

Almost all big brands have set up manufacturing and assembling units in Bangladesh over the past few years

Abbas Uddin Noyon & Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury
29 November, 2020, 12:00 pm
Last modified: 29 November, 2020, 01:03 pm

With a drastic fall in smartphone imports and a substantial rise in spare parts and accessories imports in the last three years, Bangladesh is on the way to achieve self-sufficiency in smartphone manufacturing, industry players say.

According to Bangladesh Mobile Phone Importers Association (BMPIA), until October this year, 9.5 lakh smartphones were imported, down from 81.68 lakh in 2017. In 2019, 24 lakh smartphones were imported.

On the other hand, spare parts imports through the customs increased from Tk101 crore in the fiscal year 2017-18 to over Tk419 crore in the fiscal year 2019-20, Chattogram Custom House figures show.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Chattogram Custom House Commissioner M Fakhrul Alam tells The Business Standard like the past few years, mobile parts and accessories imports increased in the current fiscal year as well while phone imports plummeted.

Mobile accessories worth Tk24 crore in FY19 and Tk38 crore in FY20 were imported through Chattogram customs. Besides, in FY20, a large amount of batteries, including coils worth Tk29 crore, were imported through the customs.

Industry insiders say almost all big brands have set up phone manufacturing and assembling units in Bangladesh over the past few years due to tax holiday and VAT exemption on local production as well as tariff imposed on handset imports to reduce import dependency.  

Manufacturers say 10 brands, including Samsung, Symphony, Itel, Techno, Oppo, Vivo, Realme, Walton and Winster, now have factories in Bangladesh. They are manufacturing and assembling phones that meet 75% of the local demand whereas imported phones dominated the market a few years ago.  

Bangladesh Mobile Phone Business Association (BMBA) President Mohammad Nizam Uddin Jitu says most of the companies have set up factories in Bangladesh due to the tax structure of the government.

"As phones are assembled here, all brands are now importing parts and accessories instead of devices. Direct importers are also facing some obstacles due to the Covid-19 pandemic."

According to BMPIA, Bangladesh has an annual demand for 3.5 crore new handsets. Of them, 90 lakh are smartphones and 2.6 crore are feature phones.

At present, factories in Bangladesh are supplying more than 75 lakh phones. However, a large volume of feature phones is still imported.

BMPIA Joint General Secretary Mohammed Mesbah Uddin, also the chief marketing officer of Fair Group which manufactures Samsung phones in Bangladesh, says Samsung, which sells about 10 lakh smartphones a year in Bangladeshi market, is assembling 94% of its products at its Narsingdi factory.

He tells The Business Standard smartphone imports decreased by more than 50% in a year due to the increase in manufacturing in the country.

Bangladesh will be self-sufficient in smartphone manufacturing within the next two years, says Mesbah.

"When we reach that stage, we do not need to import phones anymore. Instead, Bangladesh will be able to earn foreign currency by exporting smartphones within two years."

Mesbah says the mobile phone sector, which once was dependent on imports, needs to be given more opportunities to set up new factories. "Then it will become export-oriented. Tax and VAT on internet use and phone manufacturing should be reduced further. It will help earn foreign currency and increase employment as well."

Uday Hakim, executive director of the country's largest mobile phone manufacturer Walton Digi-Tech Industries, says his company stopped importing handsets since it started manufacturing them in 2018.

At present, the Walton factory has the capacity to produce eight lakh smartphones and 20 lakh feature phones per month, he says.

Walton sold 12.01 lakh smartphones and 41.76 lakh feature phones in 2019. In addition to producing handsets, Walton also manufactures mobile accessories, such as parts, chargers, batteries, earphones, printed circuit boards, and USB cables.

Walton recently produced 10 lakh chargers, six lakh batteries and six lakh earphones, Hakim adds.

Bangladesh Mobile Phone Manufacturing Association former secretary Rezwanul Haque tells The Business Standard policy supports spur growth of industries in all countries and the Bangladesh government has also given the same facility.

The change in Bangladesh began in 2017-18, he says.

"The government first introduced a tax policy for local assemblers in 2017-18 and it was revised in 2018-19 and 2019-20 budgets.

"Currently, there is a 57% tax on smartphone imports, and 32% on basic and feature phones. On the other hand, taxes for locally assembled and manufactured handsets are 18% and 13% respectively," he adds.

Dewan Kanon, chief executive officer of Solar Electro Bangladesh Limited, importer and distributor of Xiaomi phones in Bangladesh, tells The Business Standard the country has about 50% more demand for mobile phones than what is currently manufactured.

"People are leaving feature phones and increasingly buying smartphones. As a result, there is a big potential for phone manufacturers in Bangladesh. More government patronage is needed in this regard." 

Bangladesh / Top News

Smartphone / manufacturing / Bangladesh

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Security personnel react at an impact site following a missile attack from Iran on Israel, in Tel Aviv, Israel, June 13. REUTERS/Itay Cohen
    Over 80 killed on both sides as Iran, Israel continue missile strikes
  • Vehicles were seen stuck on the Dhaka-Tangail-Jamuna Bridge highway due to a traffic jam stretching 15 kilometres on 14 June 2025. Photo: TBS
    15km traffic jam on Dhaka-Tangail-Jamuna Bridge highway as post-Eid rush continues
  • Illustration: TBS
    From Greta Thunberg's book to an exquisite pen: What Tarique gifted CA Yunus

MOST VIEWED

  • Energy adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan with other government officials during a visit to Sylhet gas field on 13 June 2025. Photo: TBS
    I would disconnect gas supply to every home in Dhaka if I could: Energy adviser
  • BNP Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman and Chief Adviser  Muhammad Yunus meet at Dorchester Hotel in London, UK on 13 June 2025. Photo: CA Press Wing
    National polls possible in 2nd week of February, agree Yunus, Tarique in 'historic' London meeting
  • Rescuers work at the scene of a damaged building in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, June 13, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
    Tehran retaliates with 100 drones after Israel strikes Iran's nuclear facilities, kills military leaders
  • From fact-checker to fact-checked: CA Press Wing’s turn in the hot seat
    From fact-checker to fact-checked: CA Press Wing’s turn in the hot seat
  • UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus
    Disclosure of unconfirmed Yunus-Starmer meeting shows ‘diplomatic imprudence’: Analysts
  • Flight AI 379 had landed. File Photo: Hindustan Times
    Day after Ahmedabad crash, Air India flight makes emergency landing in Thailand after bomb threat

Related News

  • Relationship between Bangladesh, India cordial, but largely depends on governments: BGMEA president tells ANI
  • Dhaka markets sluggish post-Eid: Chicken, vegetable prices fall
  • People won't accept election date before July Charter is implemented: NCP on Yunus-Tarique meeting
  • CA Yunus discusses economic recovery, Rohingya education with ex-British PM Gordon Brown
  • At least 17 children drowned across country in three days

Features

Photos: Collected

Kurtis that make a great office wear

22h | Mode
Among pet birds in the country, lovebirds are the most common, and they are also the most numerous in the haat. Photo: Junayet Rashel

Where feathers meet fortune: How a small pigeon stall became Dhaka’s premiere bird market

2d | Panorama
Illustration: Duniya Jahan/ TBS

Forget Katy Perry, here’s Bangladesh’s Ruthba Yasmin shooting for the moon

3d | Features
File photo of Eid holidaymakers returning to the capital from their country homes/Rajib Dhar

Dhaka: The city we never want to return to, but always do

5d | Features

More Videos from TBS

How ready is the new IRGC chief to give a befitting reply to Israel?

How ready is the new IRGC chief to give a befitting reply to Israel?

43m | TBS World
Iran says nuclear talks with US ‘meaningless’ after Israel attack

Iran says nuclear talks with US ‘meaningless’ after Israel attack

1h | TBS News Updates
CA Yunus returns home from London

CA Yunus returns home from London

1h | TBS Today
Israeli warplanes shot down; pilot detained by Iran

Israeli warplanes shot down; pilot detained by Iran

2h | TBS News Updates
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net