Petrobangla has sought a waiver of Tk8,103 crore from Tk21,846 crore in customs dues claimed by Chattogram Custom House over liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports.
The state-owned corporation has proposed paying the remaining amount in instalments over the coming years.
The outstanding customs liabilities related to LNG imports have continued to rise since 2021, making Petrobangla the largest state-owned defaulter in terms of customs revenue.
According to the Chattogram Custom House, the unpaid dues remained unchanged at Tk21,846 crore at the end of 2025-26 fiscal year, as no payments were made during the year despite repeated demand notices issued by National Board of Revenue (NBR) and Custom House.
Customs officials believe that the recovery of these outstanding dues would significantly boost government revenue collection and help narrow one of the largest revenue gaps faced by Chattogram Custom House.
However, Petrobangla argues that the dues accumulated because of structural and financial constraints rather than deliberate non-payment.
Petrobangla Director (Finance) AKM Md Mizanur Rahman confirmed that the organisation has applied to NBR for a waiver of Tk8,103 crore, while the process of repaying the remaining Tk13,426 crore in phases is set to begin.
According to Petrobangla, the total customs claim comprises two separate components. The first component, Tk8,103 crore for which a waiver has been sought, arose from complications involving the two-tier VAT system at the import and distribution stages.
Petrobangla stated it was unable to collect VAT twice from consumers because the additional VAT was not incorporated into LNG tariff approved by Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC). As a result, Energy and Mineral Resources Division recently requested NBR to waive this portion of the liability.
The remaining Tk13,426 crore represents payable customs dues. Petrobangla reported being under severe financial pressure because LNG is imported at significantly higher international prices than the subsidised domestic selling price.
The situation has been further aggravated by large unpaid bills owed to the company by the Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) and the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC), limiting its ability to clear customs liabilities.
Mizanur said Tk13,426 crore relates mainly to LNG imports made before 2 June last year, when VAT on LNG imports was withdrawn. “We will pay the dues in phases. The pace of repayment will depend largely on the recovery of our receivables from the power and fertiliser sectors. We expect to start making payments next month,” he said.
Although a repayment period of up to 15 years has been proposed, Petrobangla expects that, provided its financial position improves, the outstanding Tk13,426 crore could be cleared within five to seven years. The fate of Tk8,103 crore waiver will depend on the decision of NBR and the government.
Officials at the Chattogram Custom House said Petrobangla has been accumulating customs arrears since 2021.
Unlike private importers, who must pay all applicable duties before their goods are released, Petrobangla and Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) are allowed to clear imported cargo first and pay customs duties later under special arrangements.
Assistant Commissioner Sharif Mohammad Al Amin, spokesperson for Chattogram Custom House, said the delayed settlement of Petrobangla’s dues has had a noticeable impact on customs revenue collection.
“The outstanding customs dues have been accumulating since 2021. As Petrobangla enjoys deferred payment facilities, the unpaid liabilities continue to affect revenue collection,” he said.
