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Walton has launched the first smartphone plant in Bangladesh aiming to produce up to three million handsets every year, reports bdnews24.
“It’s a historic day for the country,” State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim said after inaugurating the unit at Chandra in Gazipur on Thursday.
“A new chapter of Digital Bangladesh has opened through the launch of the plant,” she said.
Tarana praised Walton for “being the partner in achieving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s dream of having Bangladesh listed as a smartphone maker”.
The state minister said the company set up the factory by fulfilling the standards set by Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission or BTRC for making handsets.
“They (Walton) are fully ready to fulfil the commitment to take Bangladesh forward in technology. Now we must make their progress smooth.”
She hoped Walton smartphones would do well in the competition with foreign brands and reach foreign markets, and urged the firm to reach the people by producing smartphones with affordable price and payment services.
Walton Hi-Tech Industries Limited Chairman SM Shamsul Alam, and Walton Digi-Tech Industries Limited Chairman SM Rezaul Alam and Managing Director SM Monjurul Alam, among other top Walton officials, were present at the function.
The state minister visited the production line, surface-mounting technology unit for making printed circuit board or motherboard, design development department, research and analysis department, quality-control department and testing lab established in the around 50,000-square-feet factory.
The plant, set up with Japanese and German technologies, has created around 1,000 jobs.
Foreign engineers will also work along with Bangladeshis at the product development and research departments.
BTRC Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood also attended the function.