Huawei returns to Bangladesh with smartphones, tablets, wearables after years of hiatus

Global technology giant Huawei is set to make an official comeback to Bangladesh's consumer electronics and ICT market after a prolonged absence, seeking to regain a foothold in the country's growing premium smartphone and smart device segment.

The Chinese tech company will formally relaunch its consumer business in Bangladesh on 8 June, bringing a portfolio of flagship smartphones, tablets, audio products and wearable devices backed by official warranty and genuine parts support.

The relaunch will be carried out through local distributor DX Group, which plans to initially market Huawei products through major retailers and leading e-commerce platforms in Dhaka and other key cities.

Huawei and its local partner have already completed regulatory requirements, including approval from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), according to company officials.

Huawei was once among the country's most popular smartphone brands. Its official smartphone operations, however, suffered a major setback after the US government placed the company on its Entity List in 2019, restricting its access to American technologies.

The restrictions prompted Google to suspend support for new Huawei smartphones, preventing them from accessing Google Mobile Services, including the Google Play Store and several widely used Google applications.

The loss of Google services weakened Huawei's competitiveness in international markets, including Bangladesh, where consumers relied heavily on Google's ecosystem.

The tech giant's official smartphone operations in Bangladesh gradually came to a halt after 2021.

Sources within Huawei Bangladesh told The Business Standard that the company will unveil an extensive lineup of consumer devices during the relaunch event.

Among the headline products are the flagship Huawei Mate 80 Pro, the ultra-premium foldable Huawei Mate X7, and the lifestyle-focused Huawei Nova 15 Max, targeting both premium users and younger consumers.

The company will also introduce several products beyond smartphones, including its popular MatePad tablets, smartwatches, fitness trackers and audio accessories.

The initial product portfolio is expected to include the Huawei Mate 80 Pro, Huawei Mate X7 foldable smartphone, Huawei Nova 15 Max, Huawei MatePad 11.5 tablet, Huawei Watch Fit 5 series, Huawei FreeBuds wireless earbuds and Huawei FreeClipopen-ear audio devices.

Company officials said the strategy is aimed at capturing Bangladesh's expanding premium and mid-range smartphone segments, where consumers are increasingly seeking advanced camera technology, productivity features and AI-powered capabilities.

App ecosystem challenge addressed

Huawei Bangladesh Marketing Manager Faruk Rahman said the company is returning with a significantly strengthened software ecosystem built around Huawei's own AppGallery platform.

"Our AppGallery now offers access to WhatsApp, messaging applications, email services and a wide range of essential apps. We also have our own browser and alternative solutions for accessing applications that users previously downloaded through Google Play Store," he told TBS.

He said Huawei's latest devices are designed to provide a seamless user experience without depending on Google's traditional ecosystem.

According to the company, AppGallery has grown into one of the world's largest app marketplaces, while Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) now supports a broad range of applications used by consumers globally.

However, sources noted that local apps and those not yet available on AppGallery can still be downloaded through alternative app stores.

Speaking to TBS, Faruk mentioned that Huawei's immediate focus would be Bangladesh's premium and upper mid-range smartphone segments.

Md Jannatul Naim, lead marketer at DX Marketing, said the company intends to gradually expand Huawei's retail footprint across the country.

"Our first priority is to reach consumers nationwide. However, we are initially focusing on key cities and major retail partners, including Gadget & Gear, Sumash Tech, Daraz and Pickaboo," he said.

Industry insiders said Huawei's return could intensify competition in Bangladesh's premium smartphone market, which is currently dominated by Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo and Honor.

Local assembly under consideration

Company officials also hinted that Huawei is considering longer-term plans beyond imports and distribution.

While the immediate focus is on rebuilding the brand's presence through official sales channels, the company is exploring the possibility of assembling devices locally in Bangladesh in the future.

Such a move would align with the government's efforts to develop a domestic electronics manufacturing ecosystem and could potentially help Huawei reduce costs and improve competitiveness in the local market.

Although its consumer device business remained largely inactive in recent years, Huawei has continued to maintain a significant presence in Bangladesh through its enterprise and telecommunications operations.

The company remains one of the country's major technology partners in telecom network infrastructure, cloud services, data centres and digital transformation projects.