Higher rates of duty cannot be retained after transition from LDCs or LDCs. Keeping that fact in mind, the duty rate is gradually being reduced, said Secretary of Internal Resources Department (IRD) of the Ministry of Finance and Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR). Abdur Rahman Khan.
NBR chairman said this at a press conference organized on the occasion of International Customs Day-2026 at NBR building in Agargaon in the capital on Sunday (January 25) at noon.
On the occasion of the day, a seminar has been organized at NBR on Monday. Apart from this, discussion meetings will be organized in various custom houses and custom stations of the country.
The NBR chairman said that the duty has not been increased in the last one and a half years to increase revenue collection; Rather, considering the public interest, the duty rate of several daily commodities has been reduced.
Md. Abdur Rahman Khan also said that duty is increased in some cases only to protect some domestic industries. In addition, in no country in the world is customs revenue a major source of income; Rather, the main task of the customs department is to stop the import of illegal goods and to prevent money laundering through false declaration. In the last financial year 2024-25, the contribution of customs duty to the total revenue was 27 percent.
In response to a question, the NBR chairman said that regular operations are being conducted at the airport to prevent foreign cigarettes. Also under and over invoicing will be strictly suppressed.
NBR chairman said that 90 percent of goods are cleared in one day. But in some cases if the product is subject to testing or there is intelligence information, the product is withheld. In some cases, drugs are brought by talking about clothes.
Meanwhile, NBR chairman said that software is being developed to make product redemption easier. The World Customs Organization (WCO) has declared January 26 as Customs Day. Bangladesh also observes the day as a member of the organization.
Members and senior officers of various departments of NBR were present on the occasion.
According to NBR, as a frontline border agency, Bangladesh Customs works to facilitate trade operations through seaports, landports and airports, as well as prevent smuggling of drugs, arms, illegal gold, food and medicine and money laundering. Through this, the public safety of the country is being ensured. In this work, close coordination is being maintained with police, BGB, various intelligence agencies, Bangladesh Bank, port authority and related ministries.
NBR also said that under the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of World Trade Organization, Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) of WCO and CMAA agreement and with the customs administration of various countries including SAARC, D-8, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Japan, etc., cooperation has been strengthened. WCO’s REILO and Customs Enforcement Network (CEN) are being used to detect and prevent smuggling.
NBR says that Bangladesh Customs is making an important contribution to the economic and social development of the country. About 27 percent of the NBR’s total revenue collection in the fiscal year 2024-25 came from the customs sector. Exports have been encouraged through rationalization of duties and taxes on essential commodities, concessional facilities and tariff protection for domestic industries, bonded warehouses and duty draw-back facilities. Besides, in the context of transition from the list of least developed countries, steps have been taken to facilitate trade by reforming the tariff structure and implementing intellectual property provisions.
According to the information, NBR has increased the use of digital technology and modernization of customs administration as part of trade facilitation. Integration with Asycuda World, Ibus++, Bangladesh Single Window (BSW) and introduction of automated risk management software have made import-export operations fast and paperless. According to the time release study, currently about 90 percent of goods are cleared within a day. Safe and risk-free trade is being ensured through non-intrusive inspection, post clearance audit, Authorized Economic Operator (AEO), customs bond management system, e-auction and infrastructure development.
However, rapid changes in technology, multimodal transportation systems, new tactics of smuggling and cross-border criminals, and competition in global trade—constitute new challenges for customs authorities on a regular basis. Bangladesh Customs is adopting high professionalism, specialized skills, coordination with local and foreign stakeholders and timely strategies to face these challenges.
