The Council of Advisers, in its first meeting of the year chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Thursday, approved the draft National Urban Policy 2025 and announced a significant reduction in customs duties and taxes for both imported and locally manufactured mobile phones.

Briefing the media at the Foreign Service Academy this afternoon, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam explained that the urban policy is a critical step toward inclusive and sustainable development, noting that while 33 percent of the population resides in urban areas, they contribute a substantial 62 percent to the national GDP.

The tax adjustments are specifically designed to make handsets more affordable and strengthen the domestic digital ecosystem.

Under the new decision, the customs duty on imported mobile phones has been slashed from 25 percent to 10 percent, effectively bringing the total tax incidence down from 61.80 percent to 43.43 percent.

Similarly, the duty on locally manufactured handsets has been halved from 10 percent to 5 percent.

The government anticipates that these measures will attract new investors, lower consumer prices, and curb the influx of used or refurbished phones that often harm buyers and result in lost revenue for the state.

Beyond economic policy, the Council of Advisers also held a discussion regarding the state-arranged funeral and burial of the late former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

The advisers expressed their collective gratitude to the relevant authorities for maintaining high security and managing the large-scale arrangements with the dignity and state honors befitting a national leader.

The briefing was also attended by Deputy Press Secretary Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad Majumder and Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad.