- Bangladesh reducing mobile import taxes to stabilise device prices.
- New rules cover expatriate allowances, device registration, and trader stocks.
- NEIR system targets illegal imports and strengthens user safety nationwide.
According to the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Bangladesh is set to lower taxes on legally imported mobile phones as part of a wider strategy to stabilize prices and enhance regulation before the implementation of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR).
The resolution was reached during a meeting that included 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 states that the government intends to lower the current import duty of around 61 percent to encourage legitimate imports and lower retail prices. The government is contemplating changes to VAT and taxes on locally assembled devices, while ministries strive to ensure that any reduction in import duty does not harm the country's 13 to 14 domestic manufacturing facilities, which depend on foreign investment.
The meeting also discussed regulations impacting expatriate Bangladeshis returning home. Individuals holding BMET registration cards can import three mobile phones tax-free, whereas other travelers are allowed to bring in two. Guests can use their personal smartphones without registration for 60 days, after which device registration will be required.
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Traders with stockpiled devices that were imported duty-free and have valid IMEI numbers can regularise them at a lower tax rate before December 16, after negotiations between BTRC and the revenue authorities. This concession, however, will not apply to cloned or refurbished phones.
Officials stated that no active handset will be turned off prior to the NEIR system's launch on 16 December, advising the public to disregard false information about abrupt disconnections. Officials also urged mobile users to verify that SIM cards registered under their names are not being utilized for cybercrime, online gambling, or mobile banking fraud, and recommended that consumers refrain from purchasing devices that do not possess legally assigned IMEI numbers.
Authorities stated that the NEIR implementation will assist in reducing the importation of old and refurbished phones into the nation, along with the enduring practice of swapping casings to mask electronic waste as new gadgets. Customs checks are increasing at airports and land ports dealing with flights from India, Thailand, and China.