Shipping from China to Chattogram
China โ Chattogram ยท via CGP air / Chattogram sea ยท clearance by National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Customs
For buyers shipping into Chattogram, the practical question is not the ocean or flight time but what happens after arrival. Chattogram is the main port city with immediate access; cargo enters through CGP air / Chattogram sea, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
The clearing authority is National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Customs. Historical dwell on this gateway is around 7โ15 days, and it lengthens in SepโDec.
How this lane actually runs
Chattogram is chronically congested and dwell of 7โ15 days is normal rather than exceptional. Because commercial imports generally require a letter of credit opened by the consignee, the payment structure has to be agreed before the cargo is booked โ this is the main reason DDP quotes fall apart on the Bangladesh lane.
| Air gateways used | DAC (Dhaka), CGP (Chattogram) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 3โ6 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Chattogram (Chittagong), Mongla, Matarbari |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 12โ20 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Chattogram | CGP air / Chattogram sea |
| Inland leg to Chattogram | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 7โ15 days |
| Peak season to plan around | SepโDec |
What you will pay on arrival in Bangladesh
National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Customs assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Chattogram consignees. Current regime: VAT 15%; customs duty 0โ25% plus supplementary duty, advance income tax and advance tax โ the effective landed burden is often 30โ100%, with a de-minimis position of No practical de-minimis.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: BSTI certification for regulated goods; a letter of credit is mandatory for most commercial imports. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Bangladesh: LC-based import documentation must match the shipping documents exactly. Supplementary duty on consumer goods can exceed the base duty. Garment-sector inputs may qualify for bonded-warehouse relief tied to the factory license.
Air, sea or overland into Chattogram?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| โ๏ธ Air Freight | 3โ6 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| ๐ข Sea Freight | 12โ20 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Bangladesh gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Chattogram and 7โ15 days of clearance.
Before you book: Chattogram checklist
- Check the de-minimis position (No practical de-minimis) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front โ retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (LรWรH รท 6000) โ the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Put the Chattogram delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure โ it makes any claim far easier to settle.
Mode guides for Chattogram
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Chattogram take?
China to the Bangladesh gateway is 3โ6 business days by air, 12โ20 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 7โ15 days of clearance with National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Customs and a same-day inland leg to Chattogram.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Chattogram?
National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Customs applies: VAT 15%; customs duty 0โ25% plus supplementary duty, advance income tax and advance tax โ the effective landed burden is often 30โ100%. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Chattogram.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Chattogram?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965โ970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via DAC (Dhaka), CGP (Chattogram). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
What documents does National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Customs require?
A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (BSTI certification for regulated goods; a letter of credit is mandatory for most commercial imports). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
What certification do I need for Bangladesh?
For regulated goods, plan for: BSTI certification for regulated goods; a letter of credit is mandatory for most commercial imports. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Chattogram?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight โ length ร width ร height in centimeters divided by 6000 for air โ and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
Other delivery cities in Bangladesh
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Bangladesh change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling โ confirm the current position for your own HS code with National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Customs or your broker before you ship.
- National Board of Revenue
- Chattogram Port Authority
- WTO โ Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IATA โ Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965โ970)
- World Bank โ Logistics Performance Index
- ICC โ Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
- IPPC โ ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
Page data last reviewed: 10 ๆ 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending โ these guides cover that by commodity.
- Prefabricated Building Building Materials & Construction Products
- Pallet Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Conveyor Belts Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Hotel Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Restaurant Furniture Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Metal Fabrication Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Pressure Vessels Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Switchgear New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Doors & Windows Building Materials & Construction Products
- Corrugated Packaging Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Glass Packaging Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
Checking the Bangladesh duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Customs against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.
If you want to sanity-check a duty figure yourself, start from the heading rather than the product name โ the WCO Harmonized System is the underlying nomenclature, and the WTO Tariff & Trade Data portal holds the applied rates by country pair.
For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.
On the origin side, export declaration and any commodity inspection requirement fall under China Customs (GACC); we handle that filing as part of the service, but the requirement is theirs, not ours.
If this is your first shipment into Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Country Commercial Guide covers the practical import environment in more depth than a rate page reasonably can, and it is written by a party with no stake in your booking.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Chattogram. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
Sea Freight Shipping Process for Beginners: Complete Factory-to-Door Guide (Every Step Explained) — Vixnk - English. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.
Customs clearance in Bangladesh
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border โ plus who files the entry.
Bangladesh clearance requirements →