Chattogram Custom House, the country’s largest customs station, has reported a significant revenue shortfall in the first nine months of the 2025–2026 fiscal year, despite an 8.51 per cent year-on-year growth in collections.
Official statistics show that revenue collection from July to March of FY2025–26 stood at Tk58,482.37 crore, against a target of Tk72,647 crore, resulting in a deficit of Tk14,164.63 crore—about 19.50 per cent below the target. This means nearly one-fifth of the expected revenue was not realised in the first three quarters.
Despite the shortfall, the Custom House saw an increase in revenue compared to the same period last year. In July–March of FY2024–25, revenue collection was Tk53,894.31 crore, and collections in the current fiscal year grew by Tk4,588.06 crore.
Assistant Commissioner and spokesperson Sharif Mohammad Al Amin explained that imports typically grow by around 10 per cent annually, and achieving 8.51 per cent growth this year is “satisfactory” given the prevailing economic conditions.
March 2025–26 showed a relatively strong performance, with revenue reaching Tk6,800 crore, up 4.73 per cent from March 2024–25. Officials view this as a positive sign after weaker trends in earlier months.
However, challenges remain. Global trade uncertainties, especially related to the Iran–Israel conflict, along with fuel import pressures and foreign exchange constraints, continue to strain imports, directly impacting customs revenue.
With the FY2025–26 target set at Tk102,295 crore, achieving this now appears increasingly difficult. If current trends continue, officials estimate monthly collections of around Tk7,000 crore for the final quarter, potentially bringing total revenue to roughly Tk79,500 crore, leaving a shortfall of over Tk20,000 crore.
Recent monthly collections have been fluctuating. January saw a boost to Tk7,000 crore due to higher pre-Ramadan imports, while February dropped slightly to Tk6,680 crore, and March rebounded to Tk6,800 crore.
In parallel, operational data from Chattogram Port reflects similar trends, with the port handling 11,467,272 metric tons of cargo in March 2026, including 10,858,434 metric tons of imports. Container throughput reached 270,980 TEUs, indicating steady but not robust trade flows.
The Chattogram Custom House will face a challenge in meeting its ambitious target as it navigates these ongoing economic pressures.
