Import and export customs clearance in Bangladesh will require the mandatory submission of certificates, licenses, and permits (CLP) through the Bangladesh Single Window (BSW) system for seven government entities from February 1.
The government has announced that manual CLP submissions will no longer be accepted for seven government agencies after January 31, 2025, according to a notification of the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
The directive applies to seven organisations: the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA), the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), the Department of Explosives (DoEX), the Bangladesh National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention (BNACWC), the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA), and the Department of Environment (DoE).
The BSW system, implemented by the NBR, is an online platform designed to streamline CLP applications and processing.
Importers and exporters can register on the platform using their business identification number (BIN) and submit all necessary documents digitally, the notification added.
The government has already highlighted several benefits of this system, including enhanced transparency and accountability due to minimal human interaction, significant reductions in time and cost for trade activities, necessary procedures will be done online simultaneously by all the concerned agencies and improved trust among domestic and international businesses.
Initially, seven out of 19 CLP-issuing organisations are included in this phase.
