The production of mobile phones in Bangladesh experienced a slight increase in July, with a total increase of 1.06 lakh units compared with that in the previous month.
According to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission data, the total number of mobile phones produced in the country in July was 27.09 units, inching up from 26.03 units manufactured in June.
Majority of the phones, a total of 20.38 lakh units, were equipped with 2G technology. Meanwhile, 6.48 lakh units were 4G-enabled and 0.23 lakh units featured the latest 5G technology.
In May, the production volume stood at 29.83 lakh units and in April, it was at 17.16 lakh units.
Despite the overall increase in production, there was a significant decrease in the production of 5G technology-enabled mobile phones in July.
The total production of 5G phones in July was 0.23 lakh units, a substantial decrease compared with that of 1.55 units produced in June.
Feature phones, which are primarily 2G devices, dominated the production numbers in July.
These phones accounted for 75.22 per cent of the total units manufactured, highlighting their continued popularity and demand.
In contrast, smartphones, which are more technologically advanced, made up 24.78 per cent of the production.
However, the production of smartphones increased in July, compared with that of 21.60 per cent of the total units manufactured in June.
The BTRC data also showed that there has been no production of 3G mobile phones in the country since January 2023.
This shift likely reflects the global move towards newer technologies, with manufacturers focusing on 4G and 5G devices instead.
The import of mobile phones into Bangladesh also saw changes in July. There was a decline in imports by 810 units compared with that in the previous month.
In July, 3,640 mobile phones were imported, while in June, the number was 4,450 units.
Of the phones imported in July, all the phones were 4G technology enabled.
No 5G technology-enabled phones and feature phones were imported during this month.
