DHAKA, Jan 26, 2026 (BSS) - Speakers at a seminar here today emphasized on 
simplification of customs procedures, greater digitization, reduced human 
interaction and greater use of technology as these are critical to improving 
trade facilitation and sustaining Bangladesh's economic growth.

They made the remarks at a seminar marking the International Customs Day 2026 
held at the Multipurpose Hall of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and 
presided over by Md Abdur Rahman Khan, secretary of Internal Resources 
Division and chairman of the NBR. 

Addressing the event, Abdur Rahman Khan said that alongside the government's 
efforts for facilitating trade, the businessmen should also abide by the 
rules and regulations and thus refrain from mis-declarations.

He said the revenue administration is inherently complex and often unpopular, 
as it must balance revenue collection with facilitating legitimate trade and 
protecting national interests. 

While Bangladesh's tariff rates remain among the highest globally, complaints 
from traders are increasingly centered on service delivery and procedural 
inefficiencies rather than tariff levels, the NBR Chairman noted.
 
"The real challenge is not tariffs alone, but how uniformly and transparently 
our systems are applied," he said, stressing the need to eliminate 
discretionary practices so that identical consignments are not treated 
differently by the same officials on the same day.
 
Rahman said customs modernisation efforts are now focused on ensuring non-
discriminatory services, strengthening supervisory monitoring and expanding 
data-driven decision-making. 

Greater reliance on automation, analytics and digitized records would 
significantly reduce human interaction, enhance transparency and address 
longstanding complaints from traders, he added. 

Highlighting recent reforms, the NBR Chairman said full automation of bonded 
warehouse operations and compulsory digital processes have already shown 
positive results, with many activities now being completed remotely. "Once 
systems are made mandatory, behavioural change follows," he observed. 

Md Rahman also underscored the importance of expanding the Authorised 
Economic Operator (AEO) programme, noting that despite its potential to 
significantly ease trade for compliant businesses, uptake remains low. "We 
must understand why applications remain pending despite having the framework 
in place," he concluded. 

Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman said trade facilitation has overtaken 
revenue growth as the primary performance benchmark for customs 
administrations worldwide.
 
He emphasised that Bangladesh's major trade partners are less concerned about 
tariff barriers and more focused on non-tariff barriers, particularly customs 
procedures and day-to-day operational practices. 

"Process simplification is now the core issue," he said, adding that 
Bangladesh's graduation from LDC status makes it imperative to improve 
customs efficiency to retain preferential market access through bilateral and 
regional trade agreements. 

Mahbubur Rahman said customs alone has the capacity to deliver significant 

gains in trade facilitation without waiting for broader policy changes, 
stressing the need for pragmatic implementation of the Trade Facilitation 
Agreement. 

Science and Technology Secretary Anwar Hossain highlighted NBR's achievements 
in automation, including the National Single Window, non-intrusive inspection 
systems and inter-agency digital integration. 

He said extended operating hours, including 24/7 testing and port services, 
would substantially reduce costs for businesses and consumers. 
NBR's proactive leadership in operational reforms and called for 
institutionalising responsiveness so that traders do not have to rely on ad 
hoc interventions, he praised. 

Financial Institutions Division Secretary Nazma Mobarek said revenue 
generation through Bangladesh Customs has increased manifold over the years 
thanks to the relentless efforts from its staff and up gradation of its 
system. 

Officials and employees of Bangladesh Customs should work with utmost 
professionalism and thus adapt themselves with the evolving technological 
advancement, she said. 

Nazma also hoped that the Bangladesh Customs staff would work with utmost 
honesty and integrity to enhance the revenue collection and thus enrich the 
state coffer. 

She also acknowledged the role of Customs in protecting the society alongside 
boosting revenue collection. 

Policy Research Institute (PRI) Chairman Dr Zaidi Sattar said customs 
modernisation and trade policy reform are deeply interconnected. 

"Trade facilitation should be a primary goal for a modern customs 
organisation," he added.

Dr Zaidi Sattar said unless reforms are brought in the next couple of years 
in the revenue management system, Bangladesh economy could fall behind 
compared to other economies.

He observed that Bangladesh's trade tax structure remains overly complex and 
high by international standards, calling for urgent tariff rationalisation 
and modernisation. 

"Modern customs administrations must prioritise trade facilitation over 
revenue maximisation," he said, adding that while overall revenue can still 
increase through higher trade volumes, trade taxes should gradually decline 
as a share of GDP. 

Earlier, Dr Md Al Amin Pramanik, member (Customs: Audit, Modernisation and 
International Trade), NBR, delivered the welcome address while Muhammad 
Mubinul Kabir, member (Customs: Policy and ICT), NBR made the keynote 
presentation. 

A documentary on Bangladesh Customs was also screened. 

The event included the announcement of the WCO Certificate of Merit 2026 and 
the awarding of Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certificates.