A company cannot legally open a letter of credit to import, or clear an export consignment, without the relevant registration certificate from the Office of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports (CCI&E). Banks will not process the documentation without it.
Import Registration Certificate (IRC)
The IRC authorises a business to import goods into Bangladesh. It is issued by category - commercial importer or industrial consumer - and the category determines what may be imported and in what quantity.
Typical requirements
- Valid trade licence
- TIN certificate and, where applicable, BIN
- Certificate of incorporation, MoA and AoA for companies
- Membership certificate from a recognised chamber of commerce or relevant trade association
- Bank solvency certificate
- Partnership deed for firms
- Treasury challan for the registration fee, which varies with the import value ceiling applied for
Export Registration Certificate (ERC)
The ERC authorises export of goods from Bangladesh, and follows a broadly similar document set. Exporters also need the ERC to receive export proceeds through the banking channel and to access export incentives.
Trade Body Membership Comes First
Membership of a chamber of commerce or the relevant sector association is a prerequisite for both certificates, not an afterthought. Choose the association that matches the actual line of business - a mismatch causes rejection at the CCI&E stage.
Bond Licence for Duty-Free Import of Raw Materials
Export-oriented manufacturers importing raw materials duty-free operate under a bonded warehouse licence issued by the Customs Bond Commissionerate. The licence carries strict obligations: maintenance of bond registers, utilisation permissions, input-output coefficients, and periodic audit. Consumption that cannot be reconciled to exports becomes a duty demand with penalty.
Renewal and Ongoing Obligations
Both the IRC and ERC require annual renewal with the prescribed fee. Lapsed certificates suspend the ability to transact - and the discovery usually happens at the worst moment, when a shipment is already at the port. Track renewal dates alongside trade licence and VAT obligations on a single compliance calendar.
Related Approvals Frequently Needed
- Environmental clearance from the Department of Environment, by industry risk category
- Fire licence from the Fire Service and Civil Defence
- Factory licence from the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments
- BSTI certification for products under mandatory standards
How AeroNext Helps
AeroNext manages registration and licensing end to end - IRC and ERC applications and renewals, trade body membership, environmental clearance, fire and factory licences and bond licensing - and maintains the renewal calendar so certificates never lapse mid-shipment.
