Faisal Samad, Director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), has handed over a letter to Mohammad Hasmat Ali, Commissioner of Customs Bond Commissionerate, Dhaka (South), on behalf of BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan, requesting simplification of customs bond procedures and policy support for the readymade garment (RMG) industry. The letter emphasized the need to make customs processes faster, easier and hassle-free to maintain the sector’s competitiveness.
During the meeting, BGMEA leaders called for simplifying annual audit activities of exporting firms, expediting the settlement of non-UD back-to-back LCs incorporated through the amendment dated 30 June 2022, maintaining bond registers through the CBMS software, refraining from imposing cutting supervision conditions based solely on suspicion without valid reasons, and easing the inclusion of HS codes in bond licenses.
They also drew the Commissioner’s attention to a range of policy support measures, including simplifying the process of importing raw materials on a Free of Cost (FOC) basis; preventing VAT-related harassment for services (such as washing, printing, dyeing and embroidery) provided by non-bonded units to bonded garment exporters (as a policy decision on VAT exemption has already been taken and an order is under process at the National Board of Revenue); keeping supply of goods and services from bonded indirect exporters to non-bonded direct exporters free from complexities; and simplifying subcontracting procedures.
The BGMEA leaders further proposed the urgent reconstitution of a joint working committee comprising all stakeholders—including Customs Houses, Bond Commissionerates, the National Board of Revenue and the Customs Intelligence Directorate—to address both short- and long-term challenges facing the garment industry.
In response, Commissioner Mohammad Hasmat Ali stated that instructions have already been issued to speed up and simplify customs-related services to ensure a more business-friendly environment. He assured the BGMEA leaders that any emerging issues will be resolved promptly through mutual discussions between BGMEA and the Customs Bond Commissionerate, Dhaka (South), and that all-out cooperation will be extended to achieve export targets.
Senior officials of the Customs Bond Commissionerate, Dhaka (South), were also present at the meeting.
