The National Board of Revenue has issued the Shipping Agent Licensing Rules–2025, introducing a separate regulatory framework for shipping agents and allowing a single licence to be used across all seaports and inland waterway ports in Bangladesh.
The rules, aimed at improving transparency, accountability and time efficiency, apply to customs stations linked to seaports and inland waterways. A notification was issued on December 30 and later confirmed by the revenue authority through an official press release on Friday.
Until now, shipping agents operated without a dedicated regulatory structure and were licensed under the Customs Agent Licensing Rules–2020, placing them under the same policy framework as clearing and forwarding agents despite differences in roles and operational responsibilities. The National Board of Revenue said the overlap created complications in licensing and daily operations.
Under the new framework, shipping agents will be governed by a distinct licensing regime, which the revenue authority said would make shipping-related activities more modern and business-friendly.
One key change removes the requirement for prior National Board of Revenue approval to determine the number of shipping agent licences at a customs station, a process that previously caused delays. Licensing authorities will now be able to issue licences more quickly, reducing processing time.
The rules also abolish written and oral examinations previously conducted by the Customs Excise and VAT Training Academy as part of the licensing process. Instead, licences will be issued within a maximum of 30 working days, subject to verification of submitted documents.
Another major shift concerns geographical validity. Previously, a licence issued by a customs station was valid only for the seaport or river port under its jurisdiction. Under the new rules, a single licence will authorise operations at any seaport or inland waterway port nationwide.
The National Board of Revenue said the reforms are expected to create a more investment-friendly environment and make import and export operations more efficient, adding that similar initiatives would continue as part of broader efforts to establish a business-friendly regulatory framework.
Industry stakeholders welcomed the changes, calling them long overdue. Shipping company representatives said the earlier licensing system, particularly the examination requirement, was burdensome and poorly suited to experienced professionals.
Khairul Alam Suzan, a former leader of the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association and former vice-president of the Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association, said the rules mark the first time a separate licensing policy has been formulated specifically for the shipping trade.
He said the new framework reflects years of sustained advocacy by industry stakeholders and credited the authorities for taking a long-delayed step. Suzan highlighted features including the abolition of examinations, nationwide licence validity, the formation of an arbitration committee, a clearly defined complaint resolution mechanism and precise determination of licence jurisdiction.
Taken together, he said, the reforms are expected to open new opportunities for the shipping sector and support smoother trade operations as Bangladesh strengthens its logistics and port services infrastructure.
