DHAKA, Jan 26, 2026 (BSS) - Speakers at a seminar here today emphasized on  simplification of customs procedures, greater digitization, reduced human  interaction and greater use of technology as these are critical to improving  trade facilitation and sustaining Bangladesh's economic growth. They made the remarks at a seminar marking the International Customs Day 2026  held at the Multipurpose Hall of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and  presided over by Md Abdur Rahman Khan, secretary of Internal Resources  Division and chairman of the NBR.  Addressing the event, Abdur Rahman Khan said that alongside the government's  efforts for facilitating trade, the businessmen should also abide by the  rules and regulations and thus refrain from mis-declarations. He said the revenue administration is inherently complex and often unpopular,  as it must balance revenue collection with facilitating legitimate trade and  protecting national interests.  While Bangladesh's tariff rates remain among the highest globally, complaints  from traders are increasingly centered on service delivery and procedural  inefficiencies rather than tariff levels, the NBR Chairman noted.   "The real challenge is not tariffs alone, but how uniformly and transparently  our systems are applied," he said, stressing the need to eliminate  discretionary practices so that identical consignments are not treated  differently by the same officials on the same day.   Rahman said customs modernisation efforts are now focused on ensuring non- discriminatory services, strengthening supervisory monitoring and expanding  data-driven decision-making.  Greater reliance on automation, analytics and digitized records would  significantly reduce human interaction, enhance transparency and address  longstanding complaints from traders, he added.  Highlighting recent reforms, the NBR Chairman said full automation of bonded  warehouse operations and compulsory digital processes have already shown  positive results, with many activities now being completed remotely. "Once  systems are made mandatory, behavioural change follows," he observed.  Md Rahman also underscored the importance of expanding the Authorised  Economic Operator (AEO) programme, noting that despite its potential to  significantly ease trade for compliant businesses, uptake remains low. "We  must understand why applications remain pending despite having the framework  in place," he concluded.  Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman said trade facilitation has overtaken  revenue growth as the primary performance benchmark for customs  administrations worldwide.   He emphasised that Bangladesh's major trade partners are less concerned about  tariff barriers and more focused on non-tariff barriers, particularly customs  procedures and day-to-day operational practices.  "Process simplification is now the core issue," he said, adding that  Bangladesh's graduation from LDC status makes it imperative to improve  customs efficiency to retain preferential market access through bilateral and  regional trade agreements.  Mahbubur Rahman said customs alone has the capacity to deliver significant  gains in trade facilitation without waiting for broader policy changes,  stressing the need for pragmatic implementation of the Trade Facilitation  Agreement.  Science and Technology Secretary Anwar Hossain highlighted NBR's achievements  in automation, including the National Single Window, non-intrusive inspection  systems and inter-agency digital integration.  He said extended operating hours, including 24/7 testing and port services,  would substantially reduce costs for businesses and consumers.  NBR's proactive leadership in operational reforms and called for  institutionalising responsiveness so that traders do not have to rely on ad  hoc interventions, he praised.  Financial Institutions Division Secretary Nazma Mobarek said revenue  generation through Bangladesh Customs has increased manifold over the years  thanks to the relentless efforts from its staff and up gradation of its  system.  Officials and employees of Bangladesh Customs should work with utmost  professionalism and thus adapt themselves with the evolving technological  advancement, she said.  Nazma also hoped that the Bangladesh Customs staff would work with utmost  honesty and integrity to enhance the revenue collection and thus enrich the  state coffer.  She also acknowledged the role of Customs in protecting the society alongside  boosting revenue collection.  Policy Research Institute (PRI) Chairman Dr Zaidi Sattar said customs  modernisation and trade policy reform are deeply interconnected.  "Trade facilitation should be a primary goal for a modern customs  organisation," he added. Dr Zaidi Sattar said unless reforms are brought in the next couple of years  in the revenue management system, Bangladesh economy could fall behind  compared to other economies. He observed that Bangladesh's trade tax structure remains overly complex and  high by international standards, calling for urgent tariff rationalisation  and modernisation.  "Modern customs administrations must prioritise trade facilitation over  revenue maximisation," he said, adding that while overall revenue can still  increase through higher trade volumes, trade taxes should gradually decline  as a share of GDP.  Earlier, Dr Md Al Amin Pramanik, member (Customs: Audit, Modernisation and  International Trade), NBR, delivered the welcome address while Muhammad  Mubinul Kabir, member (Customs: Policy and ICT), NBR made the keynote  presentation.  A documentary on Bangladesh Customs was also screened.  The event included the announcement of the WCO Certificate of Merit 2026 and  the awarding of Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certificates.