Bangladesh has launched an online trade portal, the first of its kind in South Asia, with a view to serving the business community with one-stop point of information for export-import.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed inaugurated the Bangladesh Trade Portal - http://www.bangladeshtradeportal.gov.bd - on Sunday in the capital, reports BSS.
The commerce ministry with the supports from Trade and Competiveness Global Practice of the World Bank developed the portal, operable both in Bangla and English.
In the inaugural ceremony, Tofail said the portal would open a new horizon for the businessmen through establishing linkage between Bangladesh and the rest of countries in the globe.
“Digital Bangladesh is no more a dream, now it's a reality and we've already proved it.”
Once those who used to dub Bangladesh as a bottomless basket now brand it as a country of economic miracle, he added.
The commerce minister said soon they would ink a MoU with the FBCCI to keep the portal updated.
The portal would provide an accessible, logical, helpful window for traders to access important regulatory and procedural information needed to export and import.
It stores information relating to existing trader regulations and procedures, including but not limited to laws, administrative procedures, guidance notes, applicable fees, forms, licenses, permits and penalties applicable in case of breach.
The portal showcases wide variety of contents such as overview of Bangladesh economy, business start up process, import and export guide, custom's terminology, as well as information special economic areas, export processing zones, cross-border trade and GSP automation.
It has also multiple search option include product search with HS code, SPS-TBT search points and search options for measures, standards and special requirement.
The portal catalogues international, regional and bi-lateral trade agreements, to which Bangladesh is a party, including the applicable rules and requirements.
Bangladesh Trade Portal seeks to encourage overseas investors that are interested to trade with Bangladesh and provide them with market and regulatory information to help them export to and import from Bangladesh.
