The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has issued nearly 25,000 utilisation permissions (UPs) online over the past two and a half months through its Customs Bond Management System (CBMS).
According to an NBR press release issued on Tuesday, a total of 24,963 UPs were issued online between January 1 and March 16 this year by three Customs Bond Commissionerates under the revenue authority after the use of the CBMS software was made mandatory for all UP-related services.
The CBMS, an automated software platform, was introduced on January 1, 2025 with the aim of delivering all services to bonded warehouse licence holders online.
Under the system, beneficiary industrial units can obtain utilisation permissions from the respective Customs Bond Commissionerates without physically visiting the offices.
The UP is a key document that allows bonded warehouse facilities to use duty-free imported raw materials in line with approved input-output coefficients set by the Duty Exemption and Drawback Office (DEDO).
To streamline verification of import and export-related documents, the CBMS has been integrated with the Bangladesh Bank’s online system through an Application Programming Interface (API), enabling faster and more transparent processing.
Officials said the transition to online services has significantly reduced the need for in-person interactions, saving both time and costs for industrial enterprises operating under bonded warehouse facilities.
Since the mandatory implementation at the beginning of 2026, all utilisation permissions have been issued online by the three Customs
Bond Commissionerates under its jurisdiction.
To further enhance the efficiency and user-friendliness of the system, the revenue authority is working closely with stakeholders, including bonded warehouse licence holders, Bangladesh Bank, the Duty Exemption and Drawback Office, and the e-UD systems of BGMEA and BKMEA.
The board expressed optimism that the digitalisation of UP services will contribute to notable savings in time and operational costs for industries, thereby boosting the country’s export trade and fostering a more conducive investment climate.