Bangladesh orders customs to cut unnecessary inspections and delays

Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue (NBR) has ordered customs houses to avoid unnecessary inspections, paperwork, and delays in releasing import and export consignments, issuing 13 instructions aimed at easing business procedures.

The directive says businesses should not be asked for documents beyond NBR requirements, and documents submitted online should not have to be resubmitted manually. Low-risk consignments should not be referred to senior officials without specific instructions, while repeated physical examinations should be avoided unless there is concrete evidence of duty evasion.

Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, welcomed the move but warned implementation could falter.

“Many good initiatives fail to be properly implemented because of non-cooperation and bribe-seeking by field-level officials, particularly those at lower levels,” Hatem said.

A Chattogram customs official said limited capacity and uneven use of the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) World software could hinder implementation.