NBR lifts 100% inspection for goods imported from Pakistan

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has eliminated the mandatory 100% physical inspection of goods imported from Pakistan as part of ease of doing business.

NBR sources said the criterion was not applied to goods imported from any country other than Pakistan. Now, similar to the procedure for imports from other countries, Pakistani goods will undergo physical examination based on risk assessment, according to a notification issued by the revenue board on 29 September.

A senior official from the relevant department of NBR, speaking on condition of anonymity, told TBS, "Due to the mandatory physical examination of all goods imported from Pakistan, we had to deploy additional staff. Certain products typically do not require a physical examination, but those items were being examined, even though no irregularities were found."

Welcoming the initiative, business owners say traders had to incur increased costs and time for the mandatory requirement, which is contrary to the ease of doing business.

"This step is part of improving the ease of doing business. Since no irregularities were found, there should be no increase in time and costs under the guise of 100% physical examination. The NBR decision is commendable," Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, told TBS.

In fiscal 2022-23, Bangladesh's imports exceeded $68 billion, of which goods imported from Pakistan amounted to $699 million. Exports to Pakistan were around $74 million during the period. Most of the imported goods consist of raw materials for the garment industry.

According to the Pakistan Business Council, in addition to cotton, the list of goods imported from Pakistan includes salt, sulphur, earths and stones, plastering materials, lime, edible vegetables, raw hides and skins, machinery, inorganic chemicals, man-made staple fibres, plastics, tanning or dyeing extracts, and edible fruits and nuts.