Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul. File Photo

DHAKA, Dec 8, 2025 (BSS) – Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul has refuted the propaganda being carried out on social media over the mobile phone sets of expatriate workers.

“Lying about the interim government or about me is nothing new. Some people on social media are now spreading rumours that expatriates are being treated unfairly and discriminated over their mobile phone sets,” he wrote in a post shared on his verified Facebook account today.

Revealing the real information in this regard, he said falsehood is being spread on social media that the government has made a new rule that if one brings more than one mobile set from abroad, he or she will have to pay tax.

But, he said, the truth is that during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, expatriate workers could bring only one new set along with their used one.

“To increase the facilities for expatriates, the incumbent government has allowed them to bring more (two new) phone sets. That means expatriate workers can bring two new sets with their used one,” he said.

The adviser said if one brings more than two new sets, he or she will have to pay tax only for the extra one.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has made this rule by changing the baggage rule to provide facilities to expatriates, he said.

However, Dr Asif Nazrul said this facility is for expatriate workers who have gone abroad with clearance from BMET (Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare), while for others, the previous rules remain applicable.

Regarding the registration of mobile phone sets of expatriates, he said the real information is that from December 16, anyone who starts using a new mobile phone set will have to register it within 60 days.

“This is applicable to every person in Bangladesh. This means that it applies to people living in the country and expatriates coming home. This law has been made to prevent kidnapping, threats, extortion, and gambling in the country and abroad using illegal sets. This law has not been made to harass anyone but to protect them from harassment,” he said.

Dr Asif Nazrul urged expatriates to be careful of rumour spreaders and backbiters, saying that spreading rumours and backbiting are major sins according to Islam.

“See how far the rumour has gone: some are spreading this unbelievable information that expatriates can stay in the country for only 60 days! Prevent all these heinous lies,” he added.