Chattogram Customs Revenue Jumps 29% in August, Recovers From July Slump

📊 Chattogram, Bangladesh — Chattogram Customs House posted a sharp rebound in revenue collection in August 2026, with receipts rising 29.20 percent year-on-year to Tk7,092 crore after a 6.78 percent decline in July, according to customs revenue statistics.

💰 The collection in August last year was Tk5,489.27 crore, meaning receipts increased by Tk1,602.73 crore this year. The surge lifted cumulative revenue collection in the first two months of fiscal year 2026-27 to Tk14,017.68 crore, up 8.51 percent from Tk12,918.65 crore during the same period a year earlier.

⚠ However, the customs house remains well short of its two-month revenue target of Tk21,530.34 crore, leaving a deficit of Tk7,512.66 crore — a gap that officials acknowledge will require sustained growth in the coming months to close.

📈 July Decline, August Rebound

📊 Revenue collection in July stood at Tk6,925.68 crore, down from Tk7,429.38 crore a year earlier — a decline of 6.78 percent that dampened the start of FY2026-27 for the customs administration.

🛢 The sharp turnaround in August came as port operations and import-export activities gained momentum, helping customs revenue recover from the sluggish start to the fiscal year. Chattogram Port handles the bulk of Bangladesh’s international maritime trade, so its import activity directly drives customs receipts.

💬 “Revenue growth in August is positive. We are trying to make customs operations more dynamic to maintain this trend,” Sharif Mohammad Al Amin, Assistant Commissioner and spokesperson for Chattogram Customs House, told The Business Standard.

💬 “Revenue collection depends heavily on import activities. If imports remain normal and the current growth trend continues, there is an opportunity to achieve the target,” he added.

🏛 FY2025-26 Performance and Outlook

📊 The August increase more than offset July’s year-on-year decline, leaving cumulative revenue Tk1,099.03 crore higher than in the corresponding period of FY2025-26.

💰 Customs officials said import activity is a key determinant of revenue collection, as duties and taxes on imported goods account for a major share of Chattogram Customs’ receipts. The value and volume of imports, along with applicable duties and taxes, directly affect collections.

📊 Chattogram Customs House collected Tk81,471.37 crore in FY2025-26, registering 12.37 percent growth from the previous fiscal year — a strong base that the current fiscal year must build upon.

🌏 Strategic Context for Bangladesh’s Trade

🛢 As the country’s largest customs house, Chattogram handles the lion’s share of Bangladesh’s $80 billion-plus annual merchandise trade, comprising both exports and imports. Revenue performance here is a leading indicator of broader trade activity.

📈 The strong August rebound suggests that Bangladesh’s import demand is normalising after a soft July, likely driven by restocking of industrial raw materials, capital machinery and consumer goods ahead of the peak manufacturing and festive season.

⚠ The Tk7,512 crore shortfall against the two-month target, however, indicates that the National Board of Revenue (NBR) may need to step up enforcement, valuation reviews and anti-smuggling measures to close the gap — particularly as the government grapples with a wider budget deficit and pressure on revenue mobilisation.

✅ For Bangladesh’s export community, the customs rebound is positive news: smoother port operations and stronger revenue collections typically signal that import clearance processes are functioning, helping maintain raw material flows into the country’s garment, textile, pharmaceutical and leather factories.

🌏 With FY2026-27 set to be a pivotal year for Bangladesh’s external trade — amid LDC graduation talks, EU FTA negotiations and ongoing US tariff pressures — Chattogram Customs’ revenue trajectory will be closely watched as a barometer of national trade health.