High tariff rates being reduced as they cannot be maintained after LDC graduation: NBR Chairman

Following Bangladesh’s graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category, it will no longer be possible to maintain high tariff rates. Taking this reality into account, tariffs are being reduced gradually, National Board of Revenue (NBR) chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan has said.

The NBR chairman said that tariffs had not been increased over the past one and a half years to boost revenue; rather, duties on several essential commodities had been reduced in consideration of public interest.

He made the remarks at a press conference held at the National Revenue Building in Agargaon, Dhaka, on the occasion of International Customs Day 2026 on Sunday afternoon.

To mark the day, a seminar will be organised at the NBR on Monday. In addition, discussions will be held at various customs houses and customs stations across the country.

Speaking at the press conference, Abdur Rahman Khan said that in certain cases tariffs are increased solely to protect specific domestic industries.

He added that in today’s world, customs duties are no longer a major source of revenue in any country. Instead, the primary responsibilities of customs authorities are to prevent the import of illicit goods and to curb capital flight through false declarations. In the 2024–25 fiscal year, customs duties accounted for 27 per cent of total revenue collection.

Responding to a question, the NBR chairman said that regular operations were being conducted at airports to curb the inflow of foreign cigarettes.

He also stated that under-invoicing and over-invoicing would be dealt with strictly.

Regarding delays in the clearance of goods, the NBR chairman said that 90 per cent of consignments are cleared within a single day. However, goods are held in some cases if physical inspection is required or if there is intelligence information.

In certain instances, consignments declared as fabric are found to contain narcotics, he stated.

Meanwhile, the NBR chairman informed the media that software is being developed to further streamline the clearance of goods.

The World Customs Organization (WCO) has declared 26 January as International Customs Day. As a member of the organisation, Bangladesh observes the day each year.