Bangladesh Customs

Bangladesh Customs
Formation 1972
Region served
Bangladesh
Website

bangladeshcustoms.gov.bd

customs.gov.bd/index.jsf

Bangladesh Customs is the principle customs agency of Bangladesh.

History

Bangladesh Customs was formed under the National Board of Revenue in 1972 after the Independence of Bangladesh through the Customs Act.[1] In 2016 Bangladesh Costoms joined Operation IRENE to stop illegal trafficking of small arms and drugs.[2]

Organisation structure

Customs is one of the three tax collecting agencies that work under the National Board of Revenue. The other two agencies are VAT and Income Tax. The Customs wing is responsible for planning, formulation, implementation, and periodic review and re-appraisal of policies on matters related to Customs. Its main functions are :

  • Collection of duties and taxes at the import stage,
  • protection of domestic industry,
  • trade liberalisation,
  • facilitation of trade,
  • prevention of smuggling,
  • interdiction of prohibited goods, narcotics and objects detrimental to national security, and
  • prevention of money laundering.

Customs wing monitors the activities of Customs stations, and provide directions and interpretations to field offices. Offices under the Customs wing implement the policies formulated by the NBR, collect duties and taxes at the import stage, apply relevant laws and regulations formulated by other border agencies, and ensure facilitation of trade. There are six Custom Houses (Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla, ICD Kamalapur, Benapole and Pangaon), two Customs Bond Commissionerates (Dhaka and Chittagong), one Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, one Customs Valuation and Internal Audit Commissionerate and a number of functional land Customs stations.

While Chairman is the apex decision making authority in the NBR, the basic functions of the Customs wing are supervised by four Members. These positions are:

(i) Member (Customs: Policy);

(ii) Member (Customs: Export, Bond and IT);

(iii) Member (Customs: Audit, Modernization and International Trade); and

(iv) Member (Customs: Administration).[3]

Intelligence branch

Bangladesh Customs has an intelligence division,[4] responsible for preventing smuggling and tariff evasions. In 2016 it started operations to recover cars bought and sold in Bangladesh evading taxes, the cars were bought in by Foreign officials working in International agencies such as the World Bank and various agencies of the United Nations.[5][6][7]

References

  1. ↑ Bala, Swapan Kumar; Ahmed, Helal Uddin. "Customs Duty". en.banglapedia.org. Banglapedia. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  2. ↑ "Operation IRENE to recover smuggled arms, drugs". archive.dhakatribune.com. Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  3. ↑ "Bangladesh Customs, National Board of Revenue (NBR) (Beta version)". bangladeshcustoms.gov.bd. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
  4. ↑ "Men arrested for trying to smuggle gold in their rectums". dailymail.co.uk. Mail Online. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  5. ↑ "Customs officials seize former UNDP Bangladesh chief's car over duty irregularities". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  6. ↑ "Misuse of Tax-free Cars: UN reminds its foreign staff to follow rules". thedailystar.net. The Daily Star. 8 December 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  7. ↑ "Foreigners in duty-free car scam". en.prothom-alo.com. Prothom Alo. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
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