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DHAKA, Dec 3, 2025 (BSS) - The government will restrict the import of cloned mobile phones, stolen or hijacked phones and refurbished phones in Bangladesh.

The decision was taken at a meeting held between the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the Ministry of Commerce, the Posts and Telecommunications Division and the BTRC on December 1 at the office of Chief Adviser's Special 
Assistant on the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb.

The meeting also took some other decisions regarding reducing the duty on mobile phone imports, a press release said.

Measures are being taken to validate the stock phones illegally imported to the market before December 16 next with a reduced duty by submitting the IMEI list of these phones to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory 
Commission (BTRC). 

But, this scope will not be provided in the case of cloned phones and refurbished phones. The mobile phones used before December 16 will not be stopped in any way.

Bangladeshi expatriates can use smartphones without registration for up to 60 days while spending their holidays in the country. Mobile phones will have to be registered if they are staying for more than 60 days. 

The expatriates, who have BMET registration cards, can bring a total of three phones with them for free. To this end, they can bring two new phones without duty in addition to their used handsets. Tax will have to be paid in case of 
bringing the fourth phone. 

Those who do not have a BMET card can bring an extra phone for free in addition to their used one. In this case, they must keep the legal document of mobile phone purchase with them. In Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore or 
various airports in the Middle East countries, smugglers are involved in smuggling gold, expensive mobile phones duty-free by forcing general expatriates to do so, according to the press release.

To prevent the attempts of smugglers, the expatriates must keep the documents of the purchased mobile phones with them. The legal import duty on smartphones will be reduced significantly, which will cut the price of 
legally imported mobile phones.

Currently, the duty on mobile phone imports through legal channels is about 61 percent. The government has started working to reduce it significantly. If the import duty is cut, the duty and VAT on mobile phones produced in 13-14 
factories in Bangladesh will have to be reduced; otherwise the foreign investment of the companies will be severely affected.

The BTRC and NBR have jointly held meetings with the Ministry of Commerce several times to reduce and adjust the duty on imports and domestic production and have started working quickly to this end.

In addition, one should be careful whether someone is using a SIM registered in one's name without one's knowledge. To avoid crime and registration problems, one should always use a SIM registered in one's name.

From December 16 next, the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) is going to be launched, so one should refrain from purchasing handsets without valid IMEI numbers and illegally imported, smuggled and cloned phones will be stopped in Bangladesh, the release said.

Dumping of old phones from abroad will be stopped in the country. The rampant smuggling business that has been started by changing the casing and bringing these electronic wastes into the country will be stopped.

Flights from India, Thailand and China are being identified at airports and land ports and raids will be conducted by customs soon, it added.

The proposed Telecommunications (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 has ensured data security related to eKYC and IMEI registration of mobile SIMs. A new section has been added to the ordinance for making violation of registration data an offense.