A total of 150,000 mobile handsets have registered by only a single International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).
Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer of Robi Axiata Limited Shahed Alam disclosed it at a seminar styled “Mobile Handset Industry: Realizing its potential for building Smart Bangladesh” organised by Telecom and Technology Reporters Network Bangladesh at DoT conference Room.
State minister for Telecom and ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak attended the seminar as chief guest while BTRC chairman Engineer Md Mohiuddin Ahmed, Director General of Directorate of National Consumers’ Right Protection AHM. Shafiquzzaman, detective branch chief Harun-or-Rashid and senior officials concern attended. TRNB president Rashed Mehdi moderated the seminar.
Each of the mobile handset has a separate IMEI number with 15 digits.
Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer of Robi Axiata Limited Shahed Alam said the illegal handsets import is increasing gradually due to lack of IMEI registration of handsets.
He added Uzbekistan has raised their revenue earning over 700 percent by introduction of IMEI registration. Around 98 percent of the mobile handset of that country now registered, he added.
Attended at the function, state minister for Telecom and ICT said the government has determined to ungraded the IMEI system. He said the government will allow the NBR to access of the unregistered handsets and take action against them.
The government has also plan to allow 10 percent cash incentive to export mobile handsets, he added.
According to the seminar, the key speaker said the country’s mobile handset industry have so far invested Tk 2000 crore so far. Despite that around 40 percent of the mobile handsets come from gray market of the Tk 16000 crore market.
So, the government has lost Tk 1000 crore revenue annually, according to keynote speakers.
The investors have so far reduced 30 percent production of the mobile handsets, he added.
Detective Branch chief Harun-or-Rashid said the law enforcing will conduct drive against the illegal handsets.
He added most of the illegal handset manufacturers are producing illegal handsets by importing low standard equipments from China. The handsets are out of services after two to three months, he added.