DHAKA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh decided to slash the customs duties of imported mobile phones and mobile parts to protect the regulated market from the influx of illicit handsets.
Bangladeshi Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam announced the decision Thursday in Dhaka during a press briefing, saying that the tariff on imported mobile phones has been cut to 10 percent from 25 percent, while the duty on parts of locally manufactured handsets has been halved to 5 percent from 10 percent.
He expressed the hope that reducing duties would stimulate local manufacturing, attract investment, lower mobile phone prices, and curb the smuggling of devices. ■
