NBR fully digitises utilisation permission under customs bond

Business Report :

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has taken a major step toward digital transformation by making the issuance of Utilisation Permission (UP) under the Customs Bond Management System (CBMS) fully online, ending the era of manual paperwork and in-person processing.

Starting Thursday, the use of the automated CBMS software has been made mandatory for receiving and issuing all UP-related services, as per a recent circular issued by the NBR. With this transition, the country’s three customs bond commissionerates are now issuing UPs exclusively through the digital platform.

The NBR launched the CBMS on 1 January last year to streamline and digitise services provided to bonded warehouse licence-holding entities. Through the system, bonded warehouse operators can obtain UP online from respective commissionerates in line with the Duty Exemption and Drawback Office’s approved policies for duty-free import of raw materials.

Officials say the shift to a fully digital process will eliminate the need for paper-based applications or physical visits to customs offices reducing time, operational hassle and reliance on intermediaries.

Describing CBMS as a modern, technology-driven solution, the NBR said the platform enables end-to-end online processing of UP applications, including submission, scrutiny and approval. The revenue authority expects faster service delivery, improved accountability and greater transparency as physical documentation and manual interventions are phased out.

Businesses operating under the bonded warehouse system believe the new initiative will significantly improve ease of doing business and reflect Bangladesh’s commitment to digital governance in customs administration.