Any Bangladeshi passenger returning from abroad can bring two used mobile phones duty-free, but bringing a new mobile phone (with its packaging) will incur a duty of up to Tk 25,000.

Passengers will have to comply with this regulation under the new customs law that took effect following the presentation of the Tk 7.97 trillion national budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year by Finance Minister AH Mahmood Ali on Jun 6. The Customs Act, 2023 came into effect on that day.

Under this Act, the finance ministry issued a notification on May 29 for the Passenger (Non-Tourist) Baggage (Import) Rules, 2024.

Section 5 of the notification says: "Notwithstanding anything contained in this rule, a passenger may import one product of each of the goods mentioned in Schedule-3 without paying all kinds of duties and taxes and one of each of the goods mentioned in Schedule-2 subject to payment of duties and taxes mentioned in the said Schedule."

It also specifies that "a passenger may import a maximum of two used mobile phones free of duty and tax and one new mobile phone subject to payment of duty and tax as per Schedule-2, provided Rule 10 and other prevailing rules shall be applicable in the case of mobile phones imported in addition to this."

Under the new rules, passengers bringing a new mobile phone will be charged a duty of Tk 5,000 if the phone's value is up to Tk 30,000. If the phone is valued between Tk 30,000 and Tk 60,000, the duty will be Tk 10,000. For phones costing more than Tk 60,000, the duty will be Tk 25,000. Passengers must declare the mobile phone on a specific form.

According to the new law, if a mobile phone is found without a declaration, customs authorities have the right to confiscate it.

If a passenger brings more than one new mobile phone, normal import duties and taxes will apply. Currently, the import duty on mobile phones is up to 57 percent.

Moin Uddin, president of the Bangladesh Cellular Phone Accessories. Importers and Merchants Association, said that "The import of mobile phone spare parts and accessories is taxed at a minimum of 128 percent to 137 percent."

Mobile phones from 11 global brands are being assembled in Bangladesh. According to the importers association, the country's mobile phone industry has a market value of Tk 15 billion.