Bangladesh Bank has revised its consolidated export trade guidelines, introducing new measures to strengthen digital trade, broaden trade finance options, and support the country’s expanding services and e‑commerce export sectors.
The central bank released the updated export trade circular on Thursday, bringing together all foreign exchange instructions related to exports into a single framework. The revised guidelines also introduce policy adjustments designed to align Bangladesh’s trade regulations with evolving global trade practices.
The 16‑part circular places strong emphasis on paperless trade by establishing rules for the electronic submission of export documents and launching a pilot framework for digitally processing trade documents related to documentary collections and letters of credit through authorized trade corridors.
The guidelines also establish a regulatory structure for alternative trade finance, including Supply Chain Finance (SCF).
For the first time, the circular incorporates a separate section covering foreign exchange transactions for freelancers and individual service exporters, enabling faster receipt of export earnings through digital payment channels.
The revised framework also broadens provisions for open account exports, e-commerce activities, and service exports, while maintaining existing regulations on export declarations, the repatriation of export earnings, exporters’ retention quota (ERQ) accounts, exports from specialized economic zones, merchanting trade, counter-trade, entrepot trade, and foreign currency–Taka swap arrangements for exporters.
Businesses have welcomed the updated guidelines, noting that the inclusion of digital trade documentation, alternative financing tools, and tailored provisions for freelancers reflects the evolving structure of Bangladesh’s export sector. However, they emphasized that successful implementation will depend on stronger digital infrastructure, improved capabilities among banks and exporters, and adequate capacity-building efforts to maximize the framework’s potential.
Bangladesh Bank has stated that the revised circular will serve as the primary regulatory framework for export‑related foreign exchange transactions until July 29, 2027.
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