TRACE signed the World Bank–financed Time Release Study assignment to help Bangladesh Customs measure and speed up cargo clearance

TRACE Consulting partnered with TTT Global and SODEV Consult as sub-consultants to secure a consultancy contract for the Time Release Study (TRS) at key custom houses (Project No. SD-13). The National Board of Revenue (NBR) implements the assignment through the Customs Modernization and Infrastructure Development (CMID) Project, under the World Bank-financed ACCESS – Bangladesh Phase 1 Project. Md. Masud Sadiq, Senior Trade Facilitation, Customs & Trade Policy Lead, will lead the work for TRACE Consulting. 

The assignment will run for 21 months (about 2 years). It consists of three rounds of the study, a baseline, a midline, and an endline, each using the World Customs Organization (WCO) methodology. The studies will cover Chattogram Seaport, Dhaka Airport, Benapole, Bhomra, Burimari Land Ports, and ICD Kamalapur, Dhaka. 

Key Deliverables 
 

-Measuring the average release time and the time taken at each step for imports of food items, pharmaceutical raw materials, garment raw materials, and capital machinery, and for exports of green vegetables, apparel, leather goods, and pharmaceuticals 

-Assessing progress since the 2022 baseline study and the implementation of its recommendations 

-Evaluating the impact of the Bangladesh Single Window on clearance 

-Identifying bottlenecks and redundant steps across customs, regulatory agencies, and port operators 

-Recommending practical measures, including service standards and client charters 

-Holding validation workshops and dissemination events after each study and preparing a sustainability plan with the final end-line report 
 

Strategic Focus 

A central focus of the assignment is turning measurement into action. The 2022 study found that average import clearance took about 11 days at Benapole, 12 at Chattogram, and 8 at Dhaka Airport. Between 72% and 78% of that time was spent obtaining and submitting documents from regulatory agencies and other stakeholders before the customs examination begins. The new study will show where progress has been made, where delays remain, and what Customs and partner agencies can do next. It also fulfills Bangladesh’s commitment under Article 7.6 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement to measure and publish average release times. 
 

TRACE Consulting emphasizes that predictable, faster clearance lowers costs for traders and strengthens Bangladesh’s competitiveness. 
 

Related Initiatives 
 

-Signing of the World Bank–financed TARAPS assignment for the Ministry of Agriculture 

-Finalization workshop on electronic governance of safe food import guidelines 

-Proficiency testing support for the BSTI Halal Laboratory 

-Import Policy Order (2026-29) translation publication