Bangladesh’s government has decided to allow new investors in private Inland Container Depots (ICDs) to begin full-fledged operations immediately after obtaining their licences, ending a cumbersome, multi-year approval process that has kept billions of taka in investment idle.
What decision was taken and who directed it?
The decision was taken at a recent meeting chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, attended by officials from Chittagong Port and customs authorities. The minister instructed the National Board of Revenue (NBR), Chittagong Customs House and Customs House ICD to implement the decision within the next six months, and directed the authorities to amend ICD rules if necessary to expedite the process.
What was wrong with the earlier approval process?
Under the current practice, new ICD investors typically need two to three years to start full-fledged operations, as they must obtain several permissions in phases. After securing a licence, a new investor must first obtain permission from customs and the port authority to handle empty containers for at least one year. In the next phase, the investor is allowed to handle loaded Full Container Load (FCL) containers in stages, based on additional permissions relating to environmental compliance, fire safety and other requirements.
What have industry stakeholders said about the reform?
Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Md Amirul Huq said the existing process was cumbersome, forcing investors to struggle through multiple stages of permissions from port and customs authorities. He said the government must allow investors to start operations through a simplified process to utilise the full capacity of private ICDs. Abul Kasem Khan, one of the new investors in the sector, said the licensing process should be time-bound, arguing that investors cannot keep such heavy investments idle for two to three years. His own AK Khan ICD obtained its licence in 2024 and has completed trial runs for handling empty containers, but remains in the process of waiting for final licences from port and customs authorities to begin full-fledged operations.
Why has coordination between authorities been a persistent issue?
Chittagong Port and customs authorities currently operate under two separate sets of rules governing off-dock operations. The lack of an integrated policy has resulted in a lack of coordination between the two authorities, contributing to delays for new investors navigating the phased approval system.
What regulatory changes have already taken place?
On June 8, 2026, the NBR issued the Private ICD and Container Freight Station Licensing and Management Rules, 2026, under which the customs authority has not made the one-year empty-container operation phase mandatory, marking an earlier step toward the streamlining now being pursued.
What investment is required to establish an ICD, and what projects are in the pipeline?
Md Ruhul Amin Sikder, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA), said several ICDs are in the pipeline involving heavy investment, including AK Khan ICD, being developed on about 25 acres, Eastern Container Services Limited on nearly 30 acres, and Care Logistics and Gas One on about 80 acres in Mirsharai, alongside Karnaphuli Drydock. Abul Kasem, former president of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said establishing an ICD requires an investment of Tk 3 billion to Tk 5 billion, underscoring why a lengthy approval timeline is unviable for investors committing such large sums.
What has BICDA recommended for the new licensing approach?
Sikder welcomed the government’s move, suggesting that licences should be awarded only after proper scrutiny of an investor’s investment capacity and preparedness, allowing different stages of approval to be bypassed altogether. He said new investors should be permitted to handle both export-import goods and empty containers from day one.
What is the current status of Bangladesh’s ICD sector?
At present, 18 ICDs are in full-fledged operation in Bangladesh. Customs officials noted that Bay Link ICD is currently handling empty containers as it moves through the phased approval process the government now intends to streamline.
