BCS Pushes Price Parity: Policy Pivot Proposed for PCs, Parts and Connectivity

The Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) has strongly demanded a restructuring of the duty framework to bring laptops, computer components, and internet services within the purchasing capacity of the general public.

The demand was raised by BCS President Mohammad Zahirul Islam during the pre-budget discussion held on Saturday, 25 April, in preparation for the upcoming 2026–27 fiscal year budget. Also present at the meeting were the organization’s Secretary General Muhammad Monirul Islam and Joint Secretary General Md. Ahsanul Islam Naushad.

Presenting its expectations for the budget, BCS stated that the prices of computers have increased significantly due to the rise in the US dollar exchange rate and high duties. While a standard computer was previously available for Tk 25,000 to Tk 30,000, it is now difficult to find one for under Tk 65,000. This, they noted, is hindering the entry of approximately 2.7 million potential young people into the freelancing sector.

The organization also called for the withdrawal of VAT on laptops and a reduction of import duty to 5 percent, stating that currently around 20.5 percent tax is imposed on laptop imports, pushing them beyond the reach of ordinary consumers.

At the same time, BCS proposed setting the total tax rate on hardware and networking products at 10 percent. It pointed out that high taxes on products such as monitors, SSDs, and memory cards are leading to the proliferation of low-quality and counterfeit products in the market. Particularly for sensitive storage devices, high duties are increasing risks to user data security and negatively impacting overall cybersecurity.

DBTech/SI/MIIM/OR