The Bangladesh Bank (BB) has streamlined foreign exchange regulations governing import trade, aiming to simplify procedures and align them with contemporary business needs.
The central bank issued a new consolidated circular on Thursday, bringing together various directives issued over the past year into a single framework.
The move is expected to facilitate international trade by making import-related foreign exchange procedures simpler and more transparent.
The new circular updates “FE Circular No. 33” issued on August 14, 2025. It consolidates various guidelines issued over the past year, bringing all foreign exchange regulations related to imports under a single circular.
With the issuance of the consolidated circular, all previous circulars and instructions on the subject stand cancelled. However, existing reporting requirements relating to import trade will remain unchanged.
The circular was issued under the powers conferred by Section 20(3) of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947, and will remain effective for one year. Any new instructions issued during this period will apply in conjunction with the circular.
Stakeholders said aligning foreign trade practices with current business realities would help facilitate Bangladesh’s international trade.
Experts, however, stressed that effective implementation at the field level, stronger digital infrastructure, and enhanced capacity of banks and importers will be crucial to fully realise the benefits of the new framework.