NBR, BGMEA launch real-time garment export clearance

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has integrated ASYCUDA World with the electronic utilisation declaration (e-UD) system of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) to modernise bond management and speed up customs clearance for export-oriented industries.

The interconnection, effective from yesterday, aims to make the verification of utilisation declarations fully online and in real time, the NBR said in a press release.

This move will reduce dependence on paperwork and address long-standing delays in the clearance of bonded raw materials and export consignments, it added.

Before the integration, UD verification largely relied on manual checks and separate confirmation from BGMEA’s system, which often created procedural complexities, delayed cargo release, and raised concerns over transparency and accountability, according to the NBR.

The revenue authority said the new system would help reduce revenue risks, strengthen monitoring, and make the clearance process faster and more efficient, while aligning Bangladesh’s customs procedures with international standards.

Following the successful completion of a pilot phase, the NBR plans to roll out the e-UD write-off process in stages, further automating bond utilisation and reconciliation.

The initiative, jointly implemented by the NBR and BGMEA, is being described as a key step towards introducing a paperless customs environment and facilitating trade, particularly for the readymade garment sector, which accounts for the bulk of the country’s exports.