Duty on smartphones to be reduced significantly to boost legal imports: Ministry
There will also be a decrease in the duties and VAT imposed on mobile phones manufactured at the 13–14 local factories operating in the country to avoid a downfall in foreign investment.
The government is set to significantly reduce the import duty on legally imported smartphones, a move expected to lower handset prices across Bangladesh. Currently, mobile phones brought in through legal channels face a tax of around 61%, but the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology said steps to reduce this rate have already begun.
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The policy shift will also require a corresponding reduction in duties and VAT on mobile phones produced at the country's 13–14 local factories. Without such alignment, foreign investment in Bangladesh's growing device manufacturing sector could be adversely affected, the ministry added.
On 1 December 2025, a meeting was held at the Secretariat office of Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser at the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, to discuss the reduction of import duties on mobile phones. Representatives from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) attended the meeting, where several key policy decisions were made.
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The ministry clarified that mobile phones currently in use and active will not be shut down before 16 December, urging the public to ignore rumours suggesting otherwise.
For stock phones that were imported illegally but have valid IMEI numbers, arrangements are being made to legalise them with reduced duty by submitting the IMEI list to the BTRC before 16 December. However, this benefit will not apply to cloned or refurbished phones.
Expatriates visiting Bangladesh will also benefit from relaxed regulations. Those holding a Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) registration card may bring a total of three phones duty-free—two additional new phones, along with their personal handset. A fourth phone will be subject to tax. Expatriates without a BMET card may bring one additional phone duty-free along with their personal handset. Travellers must carry valid purchase receipts for their phones to prevent misuse, as smugglers have been known to coerce expatriates into transporting gold or expensive mobile phones to evade taxes in airports in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and various Middle Eastern countries.
Furthermore, expatriates will be able to use their smartphones without registration for up to 60 days during their stay in Bangladesh. Those staying longer than 60 days will be required to register their mobile phones.
The ministry said the coordinated effort between the BTRC, NBR, and the Ministry of Commerce to reduce and harmonise duties on imported and locally produced devices is expected to yield positive results for the country's device manufacturing industry.
Earlier on 29 October, BTRC Chairman Major General (retd) Md Emdadul Bari said all unregistered mobile phones in Bangladesh will automatically be deactivated starting 16 December this year.
The government's new National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) will detect and block unauthorised devices.
Under the system, implemented by BTRC, all currently used phones will be automatically registered through their biometric SIMs. Users of gifted or second-hand phones will have to apply to the BTRC for registration following specific guidelines.
According to BTRC officials, there will be no scope of bringing phones into the country through "illegal channels".
