Cargoes, such as Dangerous Goods (Hazardous Cargoes), Firearms and Ammunitions including Sport Guns, Air Pistols, any kind of Explosive Items, Tear Gas Canisters, Currency and Currency paper, Non-Judicial Stamps, Security Printing Paper, and Ink, Banknote Paper, Cheque Printing Paper, Passports, any cargo for Army, Cars Knocked Down (CKD) Goods, Cement, Fertilizer, Rapeseeds, Loose Scrap, Corrugated Iron sheet Sheets, Galvanized Plain Sheet, Black Phosphorus Sheets, Tin Plates or similar type of Iron Material, Alcohol, and Alcoholic Beverage can be imported through proper consultation with the carriers.

Bank Notes, Security Papers, Printing Ink for Currency are not acceptable as 'CFS' Status and must be on 'CY' status. Thus prior intimation must be given to the Destination Office/Agent Office of the carriers at least 72 hours before the arrival of the vessel to any Bangladeshi Port to arrange appropriate security as well as to obtain necessary documents to facilitate Import Discharge/Landing permission and secure smooth cargo delivery to the consignee.

Import of Dangerous Goods (Hazardous Cargoes) in any Reefer Containers is strictly prohibited.

Cargo in Reefer Containers of 220 Volts are not allowed to be imported in Bangladesh since there are strict restrictions by the 'Chittagong Port Authority' (CPA) due to the non-availability of the Plug-In Facility at Chittagong Port. Only the Reefer Containers of 440 Volts is allowed.

Cargoes, such as ‘Calcium Carbide’, ‘Sulphur’, ‘Refrigerant Gas’, ‘Tetrafluoroethene’, ‘Liquefied Gas’, ‘Isobutane’, ‘Fish Meal’, ‘Fish Feed’ and ‘Chlorodifluoromethane’, etc. are not acceptable to Import in Bangladesh unless approved by ‘Bangladesh Naval Authority’. The carriers can accept such cargo after getting confirmation from the shippers or Consignees upon submitting the below-listed documents in Original at the Destination Office/Agent Office of the carrier 72 hours before the vessel's arrival. Otherwise, the ‘Bangladesh Naval Authority’ does not allow containers discharging from the Vessel (Discharge Held-Over).

• Bill of Lading (BL)
• Invoice of the Cargo
• Packing List of the Cargo
• Goods Analysis Certificate ("The goods are free from Chloramphenicol and Nitro-furan", must have been written on the Report of Analysis)
• Radiation Certificate
• Veterinary Certificate
• Fumigation Certificate (Pest-control Certificate)
• Authorization certificate from the 'Chief Controller of Imports and Exports, The Ministry of Commerce, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh'.
• Department of Explosives, The Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
• Storage and user license from 'Bangladesh Customs Authority'.

Commodity Restriction – At a Glance

Declaration of ‘Proper Shipping Name’ (PSN) with specific ‘Harmonized System’ (HS) Code in ‘Bill of Lading’ (BL) and Import General Manifest (IGM)

For importing any cargo in Bangladesh, the ‘Chittagong Port Authority’ (CPA) accentuates the depiction of the Proper Shipping Name (PSN) coupled with the specific ‘Harmonized System’ (HS) Code of the cargo in the cargo description segment of the Bill of Lading (BL) as well as in the ‘Import General Manifest’ (IGM). The idea is to ensure the detection of the ‘Dangerous Goods’ (DG) and maintain strict Safety compliance. If any Import Shipment which doesn’t reflect specific details of the cargo, the container is ‘Retained on Board’ (ROB) by the ‘Chittagong Port Authority’ (CPA) for further verification of the relevant shipping documents to be confirmed about the cargo loaded in the container.

The following are the short-listed cargo details that the ‘Chittagong Port Authority’ (CPA) considers vague

Using ‘Bullet Seal’ for ‘Import Laden Container’ to Bangladesh is mandatory

According to the ‘Chittagong Port Authority’ (CPA) Circular No.: 17/2021, Dated 27TH October 2021, issued by, it has been advised by the ‘Chittagong Port Authority’ (CPA) that, using plastic or metallic seals is strictly prohibited and using ‘Bullet Seal’ for all import laden containers to be handled through the Port of Chittagong is mandatory. The ‘Chittagong Port Authority’ (CPA) has also specified that if any import-laden containers are found without a ‘Bullet Seal’ affixed, the discharging of that container will not be allowed.

The customers are humbly requested to comply with the instructions delineated by the ‘Chittagong Port Authority’ (CPA) as per the circular and mandatorily affix ‘Bullet Seal’ for the import-laden containers.

Advance ‘Import General Manifest’ (IGM) submission in Bangladesh Custom-led ‘ASYCUDA World’

From 01ST July 2019, The ‘Bangladesh Customs Authority’ has opted for the Advance ‘Import General Manifestation’ which frames that the deadline for ‘Import General Manifest’ submission in ‘ASYCUDA World’ (w,e,f. 1ST September 2013) within 24 hours prior to the sailing of the Vessel from the last Port, before calling any Bangladeshi Port to 48 hours before arrival of the vessel at any Bangladeshi Port [as per Feeder Operator’s ETA declaration to Port/Bangladesh Customs (not as per Proforma Schedule or ETB)].

At present, the Freight Forwarders are licensed and submit ‘Import General Manifest’ to in ‘ASYCUDA World’ before 24 hours of the arrival of the Feeder Vessel at any Bangladeshi Port and supplementary ‘Import General Manifest’ is declared by their name as Consignee. consequently, Freight Forwarders are liable for any discrepancy of the cargo related information in the ‘Import General Manifest’ (e.g.: Short/Excess/Mis-declaration/Wrong Mark/Nil mark/Weight etc.).

The carriers' POL Office/Agent Office have to ensure that all Freight Forwarders appear as Consignee/Notify Party on the respective part on the body of the 'Bill of Lading' (BL) as per the specfic enlistment details for the Freight Forwarders in Bangladesh Customs site (www.customs.gov.bd) with valid ‘Agent's Identification Number’ (AIN).

Documentation Requirements for Import in Bangladesh

The following are the key Documentation requirements for Import in Bangladesh and for ‘Import General Manifest’ (IGM) submission in Bangladesh Custom-led ‘ASYCUDA World

Guideline on the Amendment of ‘Bill of Lading’ (BL) after the submission of the ‘Import General Manifest’ (IGM)

Guidelines on the Service Modes and Freight Collect Acceptance in terms of Import

Free Time Facility for Import under the ‘Chittagong Port Authority’ (CPA)

Import Cargo Delivery procedure

• Upon the settlement of the payment and surrendering only 1 set of the ‘Original Bill of Lading’ (OBL), the Destination Office/Agent of the carrier will release the Delivery Order to the consignee.
• For taking the delivery of the Import cargo, if the consignee ensures the presentation of the ‘House Bill of Lading’ (BL) to the carriers, which is duly endorsed by the Bank, and if the terms of freight is Prepaid, then the carriers have to issue the Delivery Order to the consignee.
• According to the 'Bangladesh Customs Authority' regulations, receivers are not authorized to perform Customs Clearance formalities for Import without the presentation of the Original 'Bill of Lading' (BL) to the 'Bangladesh Customs Authority'. The receiver must obtain clearance from the 'Bangladesh Customs Authority' through the presentation of the Original 'Bill of Lading' (BL) to process delivery of import cargo, which further refers that express release procedure is not acceptable except for shipments of non-commercial cargoes.
• Sometimes, it is seen that the Freight Forwarder or Shipper has not surrendered the ‘Original Bill of Lading’ (OBL) for any reason, and/or terms of freight reflect as ‘Prepaid’ while the freight is not settled at the Origin/Port of Loading Office/Agent Office. In that situation, the Origin/Port of Loading Office/Agent Office of the Carriers advises holding the cargo from delivery. However, as per local rules, whether the ‘Original Bill of Lading’ (OBL) is surrendered or not, and whether Freight is actually received or not at the Origin/Port of Loading Office/Agent Office, if terms of freight are written as 'Freight Prepaid', and the 'House Bill of Lading' (BL) is duly endorsed by the Bank, the carrier cannot hold cargo delivery.
• If the carriers hold the cargo from delivery to the consignee, then the consignee can directly approach the Port Authority, and the Port Authority can ensure import cargo delivery without the presentation of the Delivery Order from the carriers.

Idle Full procedure

If any consignee does not take the delivery of the import cargo within 30 days of storage in the Port Premises even after due notice from the carriers to consignee/Notify Party, then carriers can apply to the 'Bangladesh Customs Authority' to treat the cargo as Abandoned Cargo and can request to sale the cargo by Auction.

The Auction Sale procedure in Bangladesh is very tough and lengthy procedure since there is no specific rules and regulations for Abandoned Cargo and Auctioning of the Abandoned Cargo is fully under the control of the 'Bangladesh Customs Authority'. Here the carriers do not have any scope to arrange the sales of the any Abandoned Cargo through Auction. Moreover, there is no chance to recover any Detention and Demurrage dues by the Carrier from the sale proceeds. The scenario is more critical when the Abandoned Cargo is Reefer Cargo and The Port Authority is gauging to deduct the Store Rent and 'Plug-In & Monitoring fee which is USD 9.00 Per Day coupled with 15% Value Added Tax (VAT) from the Carrier.

'Reshipment' or 'Return' the Import cargo from Bangladesh to the Origin Country/Port of Loading

If any Import Cargo has arrived in Bangladesh and the carrier has already manifested and declared the cargo against the respective Consignee/Notify Party to the Bangladesh Customs Authority accordingly, then the 'Reshipment' or 'Return' of any Imported Cargo from Bangladesh to the Origin/Port of Loading is very troublesome, expensive, time consuming, lengthy procedure since there are a lot of factor involved as well as a lot of permissions are required from the concern authorities upon the submission of the necessary documents which have to be obtained by the respective shipper/consignee and through their nominated Customs Clearing and Forwarding Agent. the Shipper has to instruct the Consignee and the Carrier's Port of Destination Office/Agent Office to advice cost and formalities for 'Reshipment' or 'Return' to the Origin/Port of Loading.

• Formal letter from the Shipper stating a convincing and satisfactory explanation to the Bangladesh Customs Authority for non-acceptance/return of the cargo by the consignee in Bangladesh and requesting the Re-Shipment or Return of the goods.
• Formal letters from the Shipper and the involved concerns stating that all expenses will be borne by the shipper and no Bangladeshi currency will be involved for Re-Shipment or Return of the cargo.
• Formal Letter from the Overseas Buyer to the concerns for the cancellation of the order (if applicable).
• Authorization letter from the Shipper to the concerns asking and requesting the Re-Shipment or Return of the goods.
• No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Importer/Consignee in Bangladesh for returning the cargo.
• No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the 'Letter of Credit' (LC) opening Bank stating clearly that the Bank has no objection if the cargoes are processed for Re-Shipment or Return to Origin.
• No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Carrier's Office/Agent Office in Bangladesh.
• No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the 'Bangladesh Bank' (Central Bank) through the 'Letter of Credit' (LC) opening Bank.