To make logistics more affordable and efficient, Nokia Mobile plans to start manufacturing phones in Bangladesh, following large brands such as Samsung, OPPO, and Realme.
Vibrant Software (BD)—a concern of Union Group—has received Nokia device assembling permission and the provisional approval from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to set up a mobile phone factory in Bangladesh, covering shipping and logistics costs for Nokia.
Nokia Mobile started manufacturing phones in India not long ago, mostly intended for the Indian market but also for exports. Now, Nokia Mobile plans to start manufacturing phones in Bangladesh as it borders India and has a large population with many potential consumers.
According to the BTRC, the total number of handsets manufactured and imported in the country in the 2019-20 fiscal year was 29.48 million units. Of which, 16.21 million units were manufactured locally by ten companies, whereas 13.27 million units were imported.
Bangladesh started its mobile handset manufacturing journey back in 2017 through local electronics brand Walton, and since then, ten brands have started production here. Brands such as Samsung, OPPO, Realme, Tecno, and Itel produce 85% of the smartphones in the local market and meet 55% of local demand for both smartphones and feature phones.
