Fashion
Bangladesh’s NBR notifies Shipping Agent Licensing Rules 2025
Shipping agent licenses were earlier governed under the Customs Agent Licensing Rules, 2020.
Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue has notified the Shipping Agent Licensing Rules, 2025, which aim at ensuring accountability and fair competition across all sea and river ports and modernising and simplifying shipping agent operations.
There is no need now for NBR approval to determine the number of licenses issued per customs station.
Written and oral exams for applicants have been abolished.
Under the new regulations, the licensing process has been significantly accelerated. Authorities are no longer required to obtain prior NBR approval to determine the number of licenses issued per customs station. This allows authorities to grant permits in a much shorter duration.
The requirement for applicants to sit for written and oral examinations at the Customs Excise and VAT Training Academy has been abolished.
NBR has committed to issuing licenses within 30 working days provided that all submitted documentations are accurate, according to domestic media reports.
A shipping agent license was earlier restricted only to the specific sea or river port under the issuing customs station. The new rules permit a license holder to conduct business at any sea or river port throughout the country, removing previous geographical barriers to trade.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)