Finnish telecommunications giant Nokia is set to launch its first production unit in Bangladesh, officials said.

Managing Director of Vibrant Software (Bangladesh) - a concern of Union Group - Raqibul Kabir confirmed to Daily Star that his company has received provisional approval from Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to set up a mobile phone factory in the country and permission to assemble/produce the brand Nokia. 

A BTRC official, requesting anonymity, told The Daily Star that Vibrant Software (BD) has already filed documents requesting authorization for producing handsets. The official refused to divulge details of the factory and plans of Nokia in the coming days. 

Nokia has become the latest international brand to enter Bangladesh after Samsung, OPPO and Realme. 

The local mobile handset manufacturing industry began its journey back in 2017 when electronics brand Walton launched production in Bangladesh. Since then, a total of ten brands – including Samsung, OPPO, Realme, Tecno, Itel – started production in the country.

These brands produce 85 percent of the smartphones in the local market and meet 55 percent of the local demand for both smartphones and feature phones.

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 these 16.21 million units were manufactured locally by 10 companies, and 13.27 million units were imported.

(SAM)