Bangladesh has emerged as the largest market for second-hand Indian mobile phones, despite a mobile penetration rate of only 42%, lagging behind countries like Pakistan. This development has raised concerns about the increase in informal remittances through hundi and the growing issue of e-waste in the country. The Mobile Phone Owners Association’s Vice President, Rezwanul Haque, cited the ineffectiveness of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission’s (BTRC) National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) initiative as a key factor disrupting the ecosystem of the local mobile phone industry.
Rezwanul Haque shared these insights during a press briefing on Thursday. He highlighted that while 8 million mobile phones are used in Bangladesh, the figure stands at 16 million in Pakistan.
He further noted that local mobile phone production has declined to 20 million units over the past five years.
The event also featured speeches from Naznin Nahar, President of the Bangladesh ICT Journalists Forum (BIJF); Samir Kumar Dey, President of the Telecom Reporters Network Bangladesh (TRNB); and Kawsar Uddin and Asaduzzaman, Presidents of the Telecom Mobile Journalists Guild of Bangladesh (TMJGB).
