Bangladesh Customs posts record revenue growth, calls for investor-friendly reforms
Dhaka: Bangladesh Customs has recorded unprecedented growth over the past two decades, with revenue collections increasing nearly thirteenfold—from Tk 23,651 crore in FY 2002–03 to Tk 370,875 crore in FY 2024–25—according to a presentation made at International Customs Day 2026 in Chattogram on Sunday, January 25.
Customs alone contributed Tk 119,800 crore, accounting for 27 percent of total national revenue, while processing more than 17,000 Bills of Entry each day. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) now targets total revenue collection of Tk 500,300 crore in FY 2025–26, with customs expected to contribute Tk 130,780 crore. Overall, customs revenue accounts for nearly 89 percent of the country’s total revenue, reports The Business Standard.
Md. Moazzem Hossain, Member (Customs and VAT Administration) of the NBR, said the strong performance highlights the importance of maintaining public trust and fostering an investor-friendly environment. “Institutions that fail to uphold confidence risk their own survival,” he said, adding that customs officials must demonstrate greater responsibility and patriotism to meet global standards.
Highlighting Bangladesh’s international achievements, Moazzem Hossain noted that under the World Customs Organization’s Operation Action IPR Asia Pacific III, the country seized 144,000 counterfeit items in 45 enforcement cases, ranking second in the Asia-Pacific region after Japan.
“Investors come here as partners in development, not as subjects,” he said. “We must ensure they never feel discouraged, and the business environment must align with international standards.”
Chattogram Customs House Commissioner Abul Basar Md. Shafiqul Rahman emphasized that trade facilitation has become a central focus of customs operations. “Our approach has shifted from revenue collection alone to simplifying trade,” he said. “Delays in goods clearance cost the country significantly. Since our salaries are paid by taxpayers, it is our moral responsibility to deliver timely and high-quality services.”
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