Tighter Benapole customs checks curb evasion but delay clearance

Stricter scrutiny at Benapole Customs House, aimed at preventing revenue evasion and misdeclaration, has simultaneously slowed the clearance of import consignments, with some shipments reportedly taking three to four days to complete inspection.
The Intelligence and Risk Management (IRM) team of the country’s largest land customs station has intensified surveillance and is conducting physical inspections of suspicious consignments.
Customs officials said recent inspections and special drives uncovered several irregularities, including excess goods and attempts to import items not mentioned in declarations. Action has been taken against importers and clearing and forwarding (C&F) agents involved in such irregularities, they said.
Traders said tighter enforcement was necessary to prevent revenue evasion but urged the authorities to ensure that legitimate importers are not subjected to unnecessary delays or harassment. However, customs officials said they were working to ensure the quick clearance of legitimate shipments in line with instructions from the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
Officials said intensified monitoring and intelligence operations under the supervision of Benapole Customs House Commissioner Mohammad Faizur Rahman, Joint Commissioner Md Sharfuddin Mia and Assistant Commissioner Towfiqul Rahman, who heads the IRM team, had helped detect several attempts to evade duties in recent months.
According to customs sources, around Tk1,800 crore in revenue remained unrealised during the first nine months of fiscal 2025-26. During the same period, 14 consignments were seized over allegations of misdeclaration and importing undeclared goods. Attempts to evade around Tk30 crore in revenue were detected in those cases, the sources said.
Licences of four C&F agent firms, Link International, Royal Enterprise, Karim and Sons, and Huda International, were suspended over alleged revenue evasion.
Customs officials said irregularities were relatively common in consignments involving bonded goods, garments and chemicals.
Badruzzaman Bony, general secretary of the Benapole Customs C&F Agents Staff Association, said consignments selected by the IRM team undergo full physical inspection before clearance. 
Meanwhile, imports through Benapole have declined amid tighter scrutiny.
Customs data showed that 1,591,670 tonnes of goods were imported through the land port in fiscal 2024-25, 129,079 tonnes less than in the previous fiscal year. Imports declined by a further around 197,000 tonnes in fiscal 2025-26, according to the data.
The decline in imports also affected revenue collection. Against a revised target of Tk11,290 crore for fiscal 2025-26, Benapole Customs House collected Tk6,559 crore, leaving a shortfall of Tk4,731 crore, or around 42% below the target.
For fiscal 2026-27, the NBR has set a revenue target of Tk10,588 crore for Benapole Customs House, Tk702 crore lower than the revised target for the previous fiscal year.
However, the customs house will have to collect around Tk4,029 crore more than last year’s actual collection to meet the new target. Commissioner Faizur Rahman said the customs authorities had adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards revenue evasion through misdeclaration. “Suspicious consignments are being subjected to 100% inspection,” he said, adding that action would also be taken against customs officials if any were found involved in irregularities.