Govt cuts import duty on mobile phones

The government has cut the overall import duty on mobile phones from 61.8 percent to 43.43 percent to curb the use of unofficial and smuggled handsets.

Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam announced the decision today at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy following an advisory council meeting.

The customs duty on imported mobile phones has been slashed to 10 percent from 25 percent, while the duty on locally manufactured handsets has been reduced to 5 percent from 10 percent, he said.

As a result, the overall tax incidence on imported mobile phones will come down from 61.80 percent to 43.43 percent, the press secretary said.

The government expects the measures to boost local manufacturing, attract investment, lower prices, and curb the inflow of used and refurbished phones, he added.