Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), in co-operation with Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), on Sunday inaugurated the week-long “Trade Licence Service Week 2026.”
The service was launched during a view exchange meeting titled “Improvement of Local business, law & order situation, traffic congestion and Trade License renewal service” held at DCCI auditorium, aimed at delivering better services to DCCI members and businesses operating in the DSCC area.
DSCC Administrator Md Abdus Salam graced the event as the chief guest. Md Khoybar Rahman, chief executive officer of DSCC, and Md Masud Karim, additional police commissioner (administration) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), were present as special guests.
Under this initiative, trade licence holders within the DSCC area, including DCCI members, will be able to renew their trade licences for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The service is available at the DCCI from 16 to 20 August 2026, between 10am and 4pm, upon payment of the prescribed renewal fees.
Delivering his welcome remarks, DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed described the trade licence as one of the most critical basic documents required to run a business.
However, he said entrepreneurs frequently face delays and harassment due to a lack of information, uncertainty over required documents, and bureaucratic delays at various stages.
He emphasised that the automation of this process would significantly reduce delays and harassment, adding that introducing a multi-year trade licence renewal facility would also ease the difficulties faced by businesses.
Abdus Salam informed the gathering that his office holds public hearings every Saturday to ensure accountability, enhance efficiency, and gather feedback from residents and businesses.
He expressed hope that DSCC could further reduce trade licence fees if National Board of Revenue (NBR) related charges included in the prescribed fees are lowered.
Acknowledging that businesses are the primary driving force of the economy, he said creating a business-friendly environment would boost the City Corporation’s revenue and enable better public services.
The administrator highlighted that while DSCC currently has around 250,000 trade licences, the actual number of businesses operating within its jurisdiction is significantly higher. He urged all businesses to obtain and renew their trade licences to conduct business legally.
He added that DSCC is prioritising digital management to ensure hassle-free services and plans to introduce a one-stop service soon. To tackle traffic congestion, initiatives are underway to register battery-operated auto-rickshaws and hawkers.
He also said the City Corporation has undertaken initiatives to restore heritage of Old Dhaka and sought business community’s co-operation in implementing one-way traffic systems to reduce congestion in the area.
DSCC CEO Md Khoybar Rahman said a major portion of the Corporation’s revenue is generated from holding taxes paid by residents and trade licence fees from businesses. Approximately 2,46,180 trade licences have already been issued under 294 business categories within the DSCC’s jurisdiction.
He announced that the Corporation has set a revenue collection target of Tk150 crore for the 2026-27 fiscal year and urged businesses and residents to extend their co-operation to help achieve this target.
Addressing law and order, DMP Additional Police Commissioner (Administration) Md Masud Karim stressed that business and investment cannot gain momentum without a supportive security environment, which the DMP is prioritising.
He urged businesspeople to report any instances of extortion, particularly those allegedly involving police personnel during the unloading of goods from trucks or covered vans in Old Dhaka.
He also shared that the installation of AI-powered cameras on several roads has successfully reduced traffic congestion, and plans are underway to expand this programme. Work is also underway to formulate a policy to bring discipline to the movement of auto-rickshaws through registration and the issuance of number plates.
During the open floor discussion, several business leaders spoke, including DCCI Director Mohammad Zamsher Ali, former Senior Vice President Alhaj Abdus Salam, former Vice Presidents Hossain A Sikder and Alhaj Md Alauddin Malik, former Directors AKD Khair Mohammad Khan and Alhaj Din Mohammad, and Haji Mohammad Ali Bhutto, President of the Moulavibazar Babosayee Samity.
The speakers highlighted the need for effective DSCC initiatives to improve the business environment, reduce licence renewal fees, automate renewals, address traffic congestion and waterlogging, register auto-rickshaws, clear footpaths of hawkers, and implement strict measures to prevent extortion by political groups and law enforcement personnel.
Following the inaugural ceremony, representatives of 10 DCCI member enterprises received their renewed trade licence copies from the DSCC Administrator. DCCI Senior Vice President Razeev H Chowdhury, Vice President Md Salem Sulaiman, and other members of the board of directors were also present during the meeting.
