Dhaka, May 9: itel became the fastest growing smartphone brand in Bangladesh with a growth of 564 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in the first quarter of 2018, capturing 10 per cent market share.

It left behind South Korean electronics major Samsung that saw 46 per cent decline in shipments, a new report said on Wednesday.

According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, Chinese brands continued to grow in Bangladesh and now capture 38 per cent of the smartphone segment growing 25 per cent YoY while the overall market declined.

"Bangladesh's smartphone market declined 18 per cent YoY as consumers decided to postpone their device purchases in anticipation of value for money 4G smartphone offerings in the coming quarters," Tarun Pathak, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research, said in a statement. 

"4G network rollout started during first quarter of 2018 by leading telcos such as Grameenphone, Robi Axiata and Banglalink. As network coverage expands over a period of time, the demand of 4G smartphones will pick-up in the coming quarters," he added.

According to Counterpoint's estimates, the overall smartphone market in Bangladesh would grow 16 per cent YoY in calendar year 2018.

Although Chinese brands grew in the country with affordable offering in the sub-$100 segment, Bangladeshi brand Symphony continued to lead the market with its value-for-money offerings. 

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Kolkata, May 20: Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash, who retired as a judge of the Calcutta High Court on Monday, said he was a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS).

Speaking at his farewell at the high court in the presence of the judges and members of the bar, Justice Dash said he was "ready to go back to the organisation" if they call him for any assistance or for any work that he was capable of doing.

"To the distaste of some persons, I must admit here that I was and I am a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS)," he said.

Demitting office after over 14 years as a judge, Justice Dash came to the Calcutta HC from the Orissa HC on transfer.

"I owe a lot to the organisation... I am there from my childhood and throughout my youth," he said.

"I have learnt to be courageous, upright and have an equal view for others and above the sense of patriotism and commitment to the work," he said.

Justice Dash said that he had distanced himself from the organisation for about 37 years because of his work.

"I have never used my membership of the organisation for any advancement of my career because it is against its principles," he said.

Justice Dash said he treated everybody at par, be he a rich person, be he a communist, or from the BJP, Congress or TMC.

"All are equal before me, I do not hold any bias for anyone or for any political philosophy or mechanism," he said, adding that he tried to dispense justice on the principles of empathy and that "law can be bent to do justice, but justice cannot be bent to suit the law".

He said that he is "ready to go back to the organisation" if they call him for any assistance or for any work they need which he is capable of doing.

"Because I have not done anything wrong in my life, I have the courage to say I belong to the organisation, because that is also not wrong," he said.