Bangladesh Bank has made prior approval from the Chief Inspector of Boilers mandatory for the import of boilers and boiler components, in line with a directive from the Ministry of Industries.

The central bank's Foreign Exchange Policy Department issued a notification on Tuesday, instructing authorised dealer (AD) branches of all banks engaged in foreign exchange transactions to comply with the new requirement.

The notification said the fresh directive follows a memo issued by the Boiler Wing of the Ministry of Industries on June 28, 2026, and has been made effective for all boiler and boiler component imports accordingly.

According to the notification, boiler manufacturers must complete construction within a maximum of 12 months from the date of drawing and design approval.

Manufacturers must also hand over all documents and certificates required for registration to the buying entity after supply or sale of a boiler, and must inform the Chief Inspector of Boilers in writing of the buyer's name and address.

The directive further requires that occupational health and safety of factory workers be ensured, with all relevant provisions of existing labour law to be followed.

Under the new instructions, prior approval from the Chief Inspector of Boilers must be obtained through a prescribed application form before any import of boilers or boiler components.

On receipt of an application, a designated officer will verify the necessary documents and submit a report to the Chief Inspector, who will grant or reject the import approval after reviewing the report.

If approved, the Deputy Chief Inspector of Boilers will issue the approval letter. If an application is rejected, the applicant must be informed in writing of the reasons within seven working days, after which they may reapply upon rectifying the deficiencies and paying the requisite fee.

The notification added that the concerned authority may also inspect a manufacturer's factory or production process, if required, to ensure the quality of boilers.