Illegal imports of mobile phones have decreased since the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) database became operable.
Developed by Bangladesh Mobile Phone Importer’s Association (BMPIA) and controlled by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the database was inaugurated on Jan 22.
Since the database was made operable, the regulatory commission has been able to seize illegal mobile phones smuggled into the country through raids in the capital.
Samsung and Xiaomi distributors claim that since the ‘grey market’ has had less import of phones, their sale has increased almost 40 percent.
In 2018, more than 30 million phones were imported into the country and the IMEI of 20 million of those were put into the database.
“The IMEI database is working successfully,” said BTRC Senior Assistant Director (media) Zakir Hossain.
“To make it more productive a workshop for the BTRC employees from relevant department will be arranged,” he added.
He said that since it’s a technical matter more advance work can only be done after the training.
Moreover, the database has been added to the Information and Communication Technology Department’s Access to Information filing system, he said.
Bangladesh Mobile Phone Importers Association (BMPIA) Joint Secretary Mohammad Mesbah Uddin said that the database is being updated regularly and they will start campaigns for it soon.
“Import of grey Samsung products have decreased 40 percent,” he said Mesbah who serves as the Chief marketing officer of Fair Electronics, the leading distributor for Samsung mobile phones.
Xiaomi mobile phone national distributor Solar Electra Bangladesh Chief Executive Officer Dewan Kanon said that their sales which had gone down in November-December have gone up almost 30-40 percent.
“The sales of legally imported mobile phones have increased due to the IMEI database. If this continues then the grey market might go out of business someday,” he added.
Meanwhile, Motorola Distributor Smart Technologies mobile department director Sakib Arafat says that not much of a difference has been made in their sales but he was hopeful that the database would prove useful for the importers.