Staff Reporter:
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Sunday launched an online import-export hub to enhance the ease of doing business as part of its automation efforts to provide customs and tariff-related information from a single platform.
Businesses and individuals can access essential trade-related details, including general information, compliance requirements, product-specific documentation, tariff rates, duty and tax benefits, approximate tax calculator, and preferential tax benefits, through the website hub.bangladeshcustoms.gov.bd.
NBR introduced this system along with the Customs Strategic Plan 2024-2028 and the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) module within Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) World, designed to facilitate faster consignment clearance at ports.
During the presentation, NBR First Secretary (Customs) Amimul Ehsan Khan said, “Exporters and importers can now easily access all necessary documents and tariff-related information, including legal explanations, through this system. They no longer need to visit multiple offices to understand the process.”
After the program, he told The Business Standard, “Initially, we launched this system for agricultural products. However, we are working to expand it to cover all products.” The business community welcomed NBR’s automation initiative.
Zaved Akhter, president of the Foreign Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), said, “This move will encourage foreign direct investment (FDI) and strengthen investor confidence in Bangladesh.”
Zaved, also the chairman of Unilever Bangladesh Limited, assured that he would highlight this progress in Bangladesh’s digital transformation to global investors.
Rupali Chowdhury, managing director of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited, stressed the need for NBR’s central-level policy decisions to be effectively implemented at the field level.
She noted that most customs-related issues stem from complications with the Harmonized System (HS) Code.
Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, executive chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and the event’s chief guest, questioned why it took 12 years to implement the AEO system.
Referring to Youngone Corporation, Bangladesh, he said, “When receiving export orders, the company first considers its Vietnam operations before allocating the remaining orders to its Bangladesh unit-because Vietnam is far ahead in terms of lead time.”
“We need to address these issues,” he added.
NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan admitted that the authority has lagged behind in automation efforts.
“We have failed to implement the AEO system on time,” he stated. He also noted that while tax evasion remains a persistent issue, compliant taxpayers often bear the pressure.
Companies under the AEO system will receive special benefits in the expedited clearance of imported goods and customs clearance of exported goods by following the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in an automated manner.
From now on, AEO-licensed companies will be able to automatically self-assess 20 percent of their product shipments.
