Dhaka, Oct. 27 -- The government has launched an initiative to produce smartphones locally at prices ranging from Tk 4,000 to Tk 5,000 to expand digital access, according to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Secretary Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan.

The cheapest feature phone in Bangladesh costs about Tk 999 and the lowest-priced smartphone around Tk 10,000, which is why cheaper devices are needed, he said at the opening of Bangladesh TechConnect 2026 in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Citing a Boston Consulting Group study, Bhuiyan said Bangladesh is projected to become the world's ninth-largest consumer economy by 2030.

The Posts and Telecommunications Division is organising the conference with Chinese technology company Huawei, with a focus ...