The commerce ministry has issued the Import Policy Order 2026-29, replacing the 2021-24 order with immediate effect, The Daily Star reported on 25 August 2026.
The order removes the annual $500,000 ceiling on commercial imports made without a letter of credit, letting traders pay overseas suppliers under sales or purchase contracts. It also expands free-of-cost import facilities for exporters — apparel makers may bring in up to 15 free samples per design, up from 10 — and introduces the country’s first regulatory guidelines for free trade zones and central bonded warehouses.
Industry reaction
The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomed the order. The Bangladesh Textile Mills Association warned easier imports would pressure domestic primary textile producers, while BGMEA said it was still reviewing the provisions and BKMEA called the order “so far good” but sought a lower value-addition requirement for free-of-cost synthetic fibre.
Event date: August 2026
Sources: This report summarises the following original reporting. Facts and quotations are attributed to these sources.
- The Daily Star, Import rules open up to spur trade (25 August 2026)
More from Export–Import & Trade.
File photo: the Chattogram port area. Photo: Motiur Rahman Oni / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
This article is a summary prepared by Maritime News BD from the report(s) listed above; it was not independently reported by Maritime News BD.
