All land borders open to potential cross-border trade as the government relaxes restrictions on a plethora of new products for import from Bangladesh's next-door neighbours.
Also, customs sources say, it proposed to add new import-export route to facilitate trade with Bhutan. These are Akhaura, Koroitoli, Gobrakura, Gobrakura, Narayanganj and Sonahaat.
Bhutan is the first and only country having bilateral trade agreement or Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Bangladesh.
The customs wing under the National Board of Revenue (NBR) issued a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) on 'allowable products' for import through the major land ports.
The new list of import goods came into effect from December 21, 2022.
Through the largest land-customs station at Benapole, Jessore, the customs has allowed importing yarn by all of the export-oriented industries, irrespective of knitwear and woven, having bonded-warehouse licence.
Cotton, yarn, chassis of vehicles, machinery of projects, agriculture machinery and parts, raisin, cardamom, black pepper, clove, beet slat, tamarind seeds and gypsum could be imported through Bhomra land port in Satkhira.
Machinery of projects could be imported through Darshana of Chuadanga while yarn could be imported through Sona Masjid, Chapainawabganj.
Customs allows import of yarn through Banglabandha by all importers from Nepal. However, only importers having bond licences would be allowed to import yarn from India.
Through Chilhaati, Nilphamari, import would be allowed for railway sleeper, petroleum products such as diesel, natural sand and crushed stone.
Timber, seed, Shilpata, betel nut, fly ash, raw cotton, tamarind seed, bran, chillis and spices could be imported through Shonahat in Kurigram.
Raw cotton, rice, wheat bran and fly ash would be allowed through Chilmari, Kurigram, while dried fish, betel, fly ash through Nakugao in Sherpur.
Through Gobarkura and Koroitoli of Mymensingh, all products could be imported through Bhutan.
Bamboo and maize could be imported through Jakiganj and Shewla of Sylhet respectively.
Through Akhaura of Baramanbaria, betel quid, tomato, fenugreek seeds, dried tamarind, dried plum, fly ash, all types of hunk, fire clay, Than clay, marble chips, sesame, mustard, betel, scrap and waste (iron/steel) and granite slab could be imported.
However, all of the importable could be brought in from Bhutan through the Akhaura, Narayanganj and two ports of Mymensingh --- Gobrakura and Koroitali --- land port from now on.
Soybean seeds, natural sand would be allowed in through Bibirbazar, Cumilla, while raw cotton through Narayanganj.
Currently, some 57 land-customs stations are active between Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries.
The NBR has revised the list of allowable import-export goods on February 24, 2022.
A senior customs official says the NBR prepares the allowable import goods considering geographical location, trade potential, infrastructure, communications facility, capacity of product handling of the land ports etc.
"No products can enter the country unless the customs includes it in the SRO," he adds.
The revenue board revised the latest list following demand from trade associations, importers and exporters, decisions of joint group of customs between neighbouring countries, commerce secretary-level meeting, decision of different bilateral forums, government organizations' letter and field-level customs officials' recommendations, he informed.
The NBR held a series of meetings and added the new import products to facilitate trade, he says.
Bangladesh signed PTA with Bhutan on December 6, 2020. However, on August 10, 2022, the customs wing issued an SRO allowing duty-free market access for Bhutanese goods.
Bangladesh Knitwear Manufactur-ers and Importers Association (BKMEA) Vice-President Mohammad Hatem hails the decision on trade liberalization.
"It will facilitate trade and help us stay competitive on the international market," he says, as the apparel sector substantially depends on imported raw materials.
"Relaxation of yarn import would also help to end monopoly business of local yarn manufacturers," he adds.
