Bangladesh Set to Slash Smartphone Import Duty to Boost Legal Trade and Lower Prices

The government of Bangladesh is planning a significant reduction in the import duty on legally imported smartphones, a move intended to curb illegal imports and ultimately lower handset prices for consumers across the country.

Currently, legally imported mobile phones face a tax burden of approximately 61%. The Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology confirmed today (December 3rd) that the process to reduce this high duty rate has already begun.

To prevent a serious setback to foreign investment in Bangladesh's device manufacturing sector, the policy shift will also necessitate a corresponding downward adjustment of duties and VAT on mobile phones produced at the 13–14 local factories operating in the country.

To achieve this synchronized tax structure, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) are holding multiple joint meetings with the Ministry of Commerce.

Ministry officials stated that the coordinated effort is progressing rapidly, and they anticipate the final policy outcome will be highly favorable for the nation's expanding device industry. The press release issued by the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology today (December 3rd, 2025) serves as the latest official update, confirming that the reduction process has commenced and high-level discussions are underway to harmonize the tax structure for both imported and locally manufactured devices.