Bangladesh to Cut Mobile Import Duties, Strengthen NEIR Compliance
The National Board of Revenue (NBR), Ministry of Commerce, Posts and Telecommunications Division, and the regulator BTRC have jointly decided to reduce import duties on legally imported mobile phones.
The decision was made during an inter-ministerial meeting held at the Secretariat office of Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser in charge of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology. The meeting took place on December 1.
According to sources, expatriates can use mobile phones in Bangladesh without registration for up to 60 days. Beyond this period, phones must be registered. Expatriates holding BMET registration cards can bring a total of three phones duty-free, including their personal handset. A fourth phone will require taxes. Those without BMET cards may bring one additional phone duty-free along with their personal handset. Proper purchase documentation must be retained to prevent smuggling.
The government will significantly reduce duties on legally imported mobile phones, lowering the current rate of around 61 percent. This measure is expected to make legally imported phones more affordable. Authorities noted that local mobile manufacturers will also benefit from reduced duties and VAT to encourage foreign investment in the sector.
BTRC has also cautioned users to ensure no SIM cards are used in their name without authorization to prevent cybercrime, online scams, mobile gambling, and mobile banking fraud. Cloned, stolen, and refurbished phones will be banned from import.
Before the launch of NEIR on December 16, stock phones with valid IMEI numbers imported illegally can be legalized by submitting their IMEI lists to BTRC at the reduced duty rate. However, cloned and refurbished phones are excluded. Existing mobile phones will continue to function.
The proposed Telecommunications Ordinance (Amendment) 2025 ensures the security of eKYC and IMEI registration data and imposes penalties for violations related to registration information.
DBTech/IH/OR
