60 percent of mobiles are illegal in Bangladesh: MIOB

Around 60 percent of mobile phones currently used in Bangladesh are operating illegally, according to the Mobile Industry Owners' Association of Bangladesh (MIOB), which has warned that the growing grey market is putting legitimate manufacturers and government revenues at risk.

In a press conference on November 5, the association said that despite major progress in domestic mobile phone production since 2017, illegal and unregistered devices continue to dominate the market. 17 local and international factories now assemble or manufacture phones in Bangladesh, representing more than BDT 2,500 crore in investments and employing over 1 lac people. 

The industry also supports component and accessories manufacturing, which has attracted an additional BDT 1,500 crore in investment and created jobs for up to 60,000 workers, states MIOB.

However, the MIOB says that grey-market imports–phones brought into the country through unofficial channels–have severely undermined these gains. The group estimates that the government loses approximately BDT 2,000 crore in annual revenue because of tax evasion and smuggling, while legitimate investors face unfair competition. 

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How to check if your mobile is illegal or not

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is preparing to launch the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) on December 16, 2025. Once operational, the system will prevent the use of unregistered or illegally imported phones by verifying each device's International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number.