Bangladesh is marked by high economic growth – GDP dynamics haven’t fallen below 5% annually for over a decade. Bangladesh is an importing power in the textile industry, primarily ready-made garments. It is from this country that most clothing in the European Union comes from after China. Bangladesh also exports products such as food, footwear, and leather goods. We discuss crucial issues associated with importing from Bangladesh.
What can I import from Bangladesh?
Trade between Bangladesh and the European Union
In 2020, import from Bangladesh to the European Union was 13.55 million euros. Although the import value decreased compared to the previous year, most likely due to the global pandemic, it kept increasing between 2010 and 2019. For comparison, in 2019, it reached 16.29 million euros. It’s worth noting that European imports from Bangladesh far exceed the EU’s exports to this country. Moreover, Germany was overall the most significant importer of goods from Bangladesh in 2020.
What is sourced from Bangladesh to the European Union?
- articles of apparel
- footwear
- textiles
- food
- vehicles
- leather goods
- toys
- and many more.
Trade between Bangladesh and the US
The United States is one of the largest export markets for Bangladesh, along with Germany and China. About 17-18% of the country’s exports are destined for the US. In 2019, the US imports from Bangladesh reached nearly 6.7 billion dollars, increasing 9.5% compared to the previous year of 2018. American entrepreneurs import from Bangladesh mostly articles of apparel, textiles, and footwear. Therefore, Bangladesh exports similar types of goods to both the US and European countries.
Importing from Bangladesh – Duty rates in the EU
Checking duty rates for your products is crucial before importing them into the European Union. You can find current tariffs, HS codes, and anti-dumping duties for various goods in the free-to-use TARIC system. Such information is necessary for customs clearance in the EU. Check our guide on how to use the TARIC system.
Please note that Bangladesh is one of the countries of the EBA group, meaning it’s covered by the Everything But Arms general system of tariff preferences. Thus, duty rates for goods imported from Bangladesh into the European Union are mostly reduced. This fact makes importing from Bangladesh appealing to entrepreneurs from the EU.
Duty rates for most imported goods from Bangladesh to the EU:
- T-shirts, knitted or crocheted, of cotton (6109100010) – 0%
- Jerseys and pullovers of wool (6110113000) – 0%
- Suits of wool or fine animal hair (6203110000) – 0%
- Hand-made jerseys, pullovers, of cashmere (6110121010) – 0%
- Footwear covering the ankle (6402919000) – 0%
- Patent leather and patent laminated leather; metallised leather (4114200000) – 0%
- Swimwear (6211110000) – 0%
- Shawls, scarves, mufflers, mantillas, veils and the like, of silk or silk waste (6214100090) – 0%
Importing from Bangladesh – Duty rates in the US
Before organizing imports from Bangladesh to the United States, one must check tariffs for their products. Duty rates for goods imported into the US can be found on the Harmonized Tariff Schedule website. It’s completely free to use and contains all the necessary data, such as tariff values, HTS codes, anti-dumping duties, and more. Enter the article’s name in the search bar or, if you know them, the first 4 or 6 digits of its code to look up the information.
Duty rates for most imported goods from Bangladesh to the US:
- T-shirts, singlets, tank tops and similar garments, knitted or crocheted, of cotton (6109.10.00) – 16.5%
- Sweaters, pullovers, sweatshirts, waistcoats (vests) and similar articles, knitted or crocheted, of wool (6110.11.00) – 16%
- Suits of wool (6203.11.15) – 7.5%
- Footwear covering the ankle (6402.91.05) – 6%
- Patent leather (4114.20.30) – 2.3%
- Swimwear (6211.11.10) – 27.8%
- Shawls, scarves, mufflers, mantillas, veils and the like, of silk or silk waste (6214.10.10) – 1.2%
Documents for importing from Bangladesh
When importing goods from Bangladesh to the EU or the US, every importer is obliged to know the market’s requirements. It’s crucial to obtain all the necessary documentation, certificate, and markings. Your products must comply with applicable regulations that assure their safety for consumers. Below, we present the most critical documentation needed for customs clearance in the European Union and the United States.
EU Requirements
Mandatory documentation:
- Commercial Invoice obtained from an exporter
- Packing List
- Bill of Lading (B/L, BOL) for sea freight
- Air Waybill (AWB) for airfreight.
Documents required for certain products:
- Test reports, the CE Certificate, Declaration of Conformity for electronics, electrical appliances, machinery, medical equipment, toys, etc.
- Certificate of Origin for textiles, agricultural products, and others
- Fumigation Certificate for raw wood products (e.g., packaging and pallets)
- CITES Certificate for products of animal origin or specimens of fauna and flora
- and others.
US Requirements
Mandatory documentation:
- Commercial Invoice obtained from an exporter;
- Packing List;
- Bill of Lading (B/L, BOL) for sea freight;
- Air Waybill (AWB) for airfreight;
- Entry Manifest (CBP Form 7533);
- COO (Country of Origin) label.
When it comes to the United States, entrepreneurs must stay aware of norms developed by various organizations. There are many of them responsible for stating safety and quality requirements for different types of goods. Therefore, it’s crucial to check if your products must comply with any regulations, e.g., from the CPSC organization.
Importing from Bangladesh – shipping
Transport from Bangladesh is carried out primarily by sea and air freight. The most significant places for loading cargo in Bangladesh are the capital city – Dhaka, Chittagong, and Mongla.
Dhaka is located in the delta of the Brahmaputra and Ganges rivers, which flows into the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. In Dhaka, there is one of the largest river ports in the world – Dhaka Sadarghat (BDDAC). It’s also from here that cargo is distributed to other ports.
On the other hand, the biggest seaport in Bangladesh is in Chittagong, at the mouth of the Karnaphuli River. The port with the code BDCGP has adequate logistics facilities, and it handles as much as 90% of imported and exported cargoes in the country. Shipowners such as APL, CMA/CGM, Evergreen, Hanjin, Hapag Lloyd, K-Line, NYK, OWL, SCI, or Yang Ming offer their services in the port.
However, due to the high occupancy of the port of Chittagong, some decide to load their cargo in the port of Mongla (BDMGL). It’s the second-largest port in Bangladesh, located north of the coast of the Bay of Bengal.
Shahjalal International Airport (DAC) in Dhaka is the biggest airport in Bangladesh. Nearly 150 thousand tons of cargo and mail goes through this port. The second-largest airport in the country is in Chittagong, called Shah Amanat International Airport.
Ports in Bangladesh
Costs of transport from Bangladesh
The total price of the transport from Bangladesh will depend on a few factors: the cargo’s type, size, and amount, chosen route, method of transportation, freight forwarder, and others. Thus, we recommend checking out and comparing at least a few offers from different forwarders before deciding. You can find freight operators on our free-to-use platform ShipHub.co. Fill in the form on the home page, as presented in the picture below. Then you will receive offers from the forwarders.
Importing from Bangladesh – Summary
- Bangladesh exports mainly articles of apparel, textiles, and footwear to the EU and the US.
- You can check duty rates for importing from Bangladesh into the EU in the TARIC system. Tariffs for imports to the US are in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule System. Both websites are free-to-use.
- Remember that providing all the necessary documents, certificates, and markings is an importer’s obligation.
- Before arranging a shipment from Bangladesh, compare different offers from shippers available on ShipHub.