Time Release Study at Key Custom Houses of Bangladesh (Baseline, Midline and End-line)
Project Overview
Time spent at the border is one of the largest hidden costs in Bangladesh’s trade. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is modernizing customs through the Customs Modernization and Infrastructure Development (CMID) Project, part of the World Bank-financed ACCESS – Bangladesh Phase 1 Program. Measuring clearance time is central to that effort.
The 2022 Time Release Study (TRS) 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, well before the customs examination begins.
TRACE Consulting will conduct the next round of the TRS for NBR, using the World Customs Organization (WCO) methodology. The work consists of three studies over 21 months (about 2 years): a baseline, a midline, and an endline. It will measure the actual time between arrival and physical release of cargo, show where delays occur, and track progress since 2022. This includes the effect of the Bangladesh Single Window on regulatory certificates, licenses, and permits.
The study also fulfills Bangladesh’s commitment under Article 7.6 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement to measure and publish average release times.
Project Details
Scope of Services
- Release-Time Measurement: Measure average release times and the time taken at each step for imports of food items, pharmaceutical raw materials, garment raw materials, and capital machinery. Also cover exports of green vegetables, apparel, leather goods, and pharmaceuticals.
- Six Custom Houses: Conduct the study at Chattogram Seaport, Dhaka Airport, Benapole, Bhomra, and Burimari Land Ports, and ICD Kamalapur, Dhaka.
- Methodology and Sampling: Develop a standardized, WCO-aligned questionnaire and pre-test it. Apply Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) sampling. Extract time-stamp data from systems such as ASYCUDA World, and set up alternative data capture where systems do not record events.
- Stakeholder Engagement and Training: Consult port authorities, civil aviation authorities, importers, customs brokers, freight forwarders, customs staff, and other agencies. Train enumerators and the participants who complete the questionnaires.
2022 Baseline Review: Assess the implementation status of the TRS 2022 recommendations and measure progress in the four commodity sectors since the 2022 study. - Single Window Impact Assessment: Assess the effect of the National Single Window on the clearance of the studied commodities, where the system is operational.
- Remedial Measures: Identify bottlenecks and redundant steps, and propose practical measures such as service standards and client charters for Customs and other agencies.
- Validation and Dissemination: Hold validation workshops and dissemination events after each study. Prepare press releases and presentations for the baseline, midline, and end-line reports.
Expected key outcomes are discussed below:
Key Outcomes
- Evidence-Based Benchmarks: A WCO-standard picture of how long cargo takes to clear at six custom houses, with time recorded at each step.
- Clear Bottlenecks: Delays and redundant steps identified across customs, regulatory agencies, and port operators.
- Measured Progress: Clear evidence of changes since the 2022 study and of the Bangladesh Single Window’s effect on clearance.
- Actionable Recommendations: Corrective actions and service standards that NBR and partner agencies can adopt to shorten release times.
- Stakeholder Ownership: Wider awareness among government agencies, port authorities, and traders of release times and their role in reducing them.
- Sustainability Plan: A final end-line report that sets out lessons learned and a plan for keeping up regular TRS measurement.