Apple devices are widely considered the gold standard of premium technology in Bangladesh. Despite being subjected to staggering import duties, local taxes, and currency fluctuations, Apple's mobile vendor market share in the country stands at an impressive 9.24%. Out of a massive subscriber base of over 188 million mobile connections, estimates show that almost 19(+) millions of active users proudly rely on iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks daily for their personal and professional workflows.

Yet, despite investing significantly more capital to purchase these premium devices compared to consumers in the US or Europe, Bangladeshi users are entirely locked out of the official Apple ecosystem. Because Bangladesh is not recognized in the Apple Media Services country list, users cannot easily access the App Store, subscribe to iCloud+ storage, or enjoy unified services like Apple One.

We are launching this petition to ask Apple to officially bring its Media Services to Bangladesh, giving us the same seamless digital experience enjoyed by neighboring nations like India and Pakistan.

The High Cost of Hardware and Massive Customs Duties

Bangladeshi users already pay an extraordinary premium just to own Apple hardware. Due to high customs duties, luxury taxes, and import tariffs that can add 30% to 57% or more to the base cost of electronics, a standard iPhone or MacBook often costs nearly double its retail price in the United States.

Consumers willingly pay this massive financial premium because they value the quality, security, and longevity of Apple products. However, after paying top-tier prices for hardware, it is deeply unfair that users are completely locked out of the software and cloud ecosystem that makes these devices functional.

The Digital Hurdles Faced by Bangladeshi Users

• The Address Workaround: To simply activate an Apple ID, users are forced to create accounts using fake US, UK, or regional addresses. This creates unnecessary security vulnerabilities for accounts that store personal and financial data.
• The Gift Card Exploit: Local credit and debit cards cannot be used directly in foreign regions. Users must rely on unregulated, third-party resellers to buy iTunes/App Store gift cards at highly inflated rates just to download essential productivity or educational software.
• The Broken Ecosystem: Thousands of power-users own the entire Apple hardware matrix (iPhone, iPad, MacBook, Apple Watch). However, without official country support, the seamless cloud synchronization that defines the Apple brand is entirely broken.
• The Pricing Paradox: Standard western pricing for iCloud storage or Apple One is disproportional to the average local income. Without localized regional pricing, similar to Apple's framework in India, premium cloud backup and security features remain underutilized and financial friction remains high.

Why This Move Makes Business Sense for Apple

• An Untapped, Highly Profitable Market: Millions of citizens are already inside the Apple ecosystem. They are ready and willing to pay for official cloud services, security patches, storage expansion, and developer apps.
• Capitalizing on a Digital Economy: Bangladesh’s smartphone landscape is rapidly advancing, with mobile internet penetration expanding every single month.
• Stopping Revenue Leakage: Right now, millions of dollars are flowing out to unauthorized third-party gift card marketplaces. Bringing official media services directly to the country allows Apple to capture this entire revenue stream cleanly and securely through local banking channels.

Our Collective Request to Apple Inc.

We, the tech community, creators, developers, students, and professionals of Bangladesh, respectfully request Apple to:

1. Add Bangladesh to the official Apple ID registration country and region database.
2. Launch Apple Media Services, including the App Store, iCloud+, Apple Music, and Apple One locally.
3. Integrate local payment gateways so users can seamlessly pay via local Mobile Financial Services (MFS) like bKash, Nagad, and Rocket, as well as traditional banking services including local Visa, Mastercard, and American Express cards.
4. Introduce regional pricing structures that match the socioeconomic realities of South Asia, allowing the software ecosystem to grow organically.

Sign this petition to make our voices heard. Let's tell Apple it is time to unlock the full potential of our devices and officially support its loyal user base in Bangladesh!