Dhaka — There is a huge market for mobile phone accessories in the country. The current market stands at around Tk 2,000 crore, which is expanding at a rate of 20 % per annum.
The market for accessories is growing because of smartphones. These accessories include a back cover, screen protector, battery, charger, headphone, USB cable, power bank, memory card, etc. Most of the huge demand is being met through imports from China.
As a result, a huge amount of foreign exchange is being wasted in this sector.
It is known that 16 crore people in the country now have mobile phones. At present, about 40 % of the total number of mobile phones used in the country is smartphones.
The market for accessories is also growing due to these smartphones. Because every mobile has different accessories. Smart mobile phone users are now using a lot of accessories.
Mohammad Misbah Uddin, joint secretary of Bangladesh Mobile Phone Importers Association, said, ‘At present, the overall mobile phone market in the country is worth Tk 14,000 crore. The smartphone market is about 10 thousand crores. The market for mobile accessories is around Tk 2,000 crore. With the change in technology, the market for accessories is also growing along with smartphones. ‘
The largest market for mobile phone accessories can be seen at Motalib Plaza in the capital, which has a total of 250 mobile phone accessories shops. In these shops, traders sell all kinds of high-quality mobile phone accessories wholesale and retail.
Merchants from different divisional and district cities buy all kinds of mobile accessories at wholesale prices from this market. With the increase in demand, the number of traders in both online and offline places has also increased several times, said the traders of this market.
Motalib Plaza Shaheen Telecom owner Md. Masud said, ‘Sales of smartphones have increased a lot since the introduction of online classroom and office zoom meetings for students in Corona.
As the use of smartphones has increased, so has the use of mobile phone accessories. At present almost every buyer is buying a cover, screen protector, headphone, memory card, power bank with a smartphone.
He added that now 20-25 types or designs of covers are available for each mobile. There are 10-12 types of screen protectors. There are 50 brands of chargers and headphones available in the market. On the issue of price, he said, covers range from Tk 80 to Tk 800, screen protectors from Tk 50-550.
Only headphones are priced from Tk 80-2000 and Bluetooth headphones are priced from Tk 800 to Tk 22,000. The charger is priced at Tk 250-5500.
He also said that good-quality mobile phone accessories are sold at Motalib Plaza.
Mamun Mullah, owner of Jahangir International, an accessories store in the market said that at present, a buyer is easily spending Tk 2,000-3,000 on smartphone accessories.
Due to the increasing demand for accessories, some unscrupulous traders are selling low-quality products in different parts of the capital. Since there is no policy, many people are cheating the buyers with lucrative offers online.
After Rahman, social welfare secretary of the market owners' association, said, “Online stores have become a big obstacle for our accessories traders. They are buying from us and selling to the customers at low prices. ‘
Not only in the market but also in the accessories business. These outlets are visible all over the capital.
It is known that there are more than a hundred shops on the sidewalk of Gulistan alone.
According to the Mobile Phone Accessories Importers Association, there is a lot of chaos in the field of mobile phone accessories as there is no policy of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
The new twist is being marketed in brand form by importing low-quality accessories products from China. Apart from this, no real market has been created for the products produced, imported, and marketed everywhere.
Properly covered, it will withstand plenty of adverse conditions. Now the leaders of the association feel that proper policies are needed to get the government's revenue by expanding the market.
As the demand in the country increases, several small industries of mobile phone accessories have sprung up.
These include Anik Telecom, Imam Telecom, Active Telecom, Halima Telecom, Shahi Telecom, Remix, Mobile Park City, etc.
In addition to mobile production, Walton is producing a number of mobile accessories products in its own factory in the country's market.
According to those concerned, Bangladesh can take this opportunity.
This requires the necessary policy support. In order to develop mobile phone production as well as accessories factories, it is important to discourage imports and encourage local production.
If a factory of mobile phone accessories is set up in the country, it will be possible to meet the local demand as well as export.
