Bangladesh Tariff & Trade Intelligence Platform
A tool for modernized tariff schedule, AI HS classification, commodity profiling, duty computation, SRO/IPO reference and general trade information
BETA
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The platform opens directly in your browser; no installation, login or internet connection is required for the core analysis. Everything below works offline from the embedded dataset (the live chart library and external ruling-search links need internet).
Double-click the platform HTML file. It boots from the embedded merged BCT dataset (7,785 tariff lines across four fiscal years) and lands on the Executive Dashboard.
Use the top navigation tabs to switch between the 15 modules. Each module renders the first time you open it.
In Duty-Tax Simulation, confirm the tax-base formula. Every TTI figure across the platform follows this setting.
Use the global HS search in the header, or open Modernized BCT Schedule and filter by chapter, to locate a tariff line.
Run the relevant module, then export to CSV/Excel or use Print/PDF for a briefing. Always validate against official sources before use.
Where a module offers an upload control (SRO, import data, rulings, WCO EN references), load it to replace demo data with authoritative figures.
The fastest route through the platform for the jobs users do most. Each card names the module to use and the minimum steps.
Each module is documented under nine standard headings: purpose, who should use it, key inputs, step-by-step method, how to read the outputs, decisions supported, limitations & validation, common mistakes, and recommended next action — followed by a short practical example. Click a header to expand.
A defensible classification is built, not guessed. The AI module accelerates the search but the legal basis must always rest on the General Interpretative Rules and the tariff texts. Follow this sequence for every borderline product.
Use this sequence to move from diagnosis to an evidence-based reform recommendation suitable for an NBR or development-partner note.
The platform ships with an embedded demonstration dataset. For operational, audit-grade use, replace or supplement it with the following authoritative data via the upload controls.
| Data set | Why it is needed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Latest Bangladesh Customs Tariff (operative BCT, with statistical units per line) | Authoritative rates, line descriptions and units for every module | NBR / Bangladesh Customs |
| Finance Act and current SROs (full concession/exemption universe) | Statutory rate changes and concession logic for SRO & exemption analysis | NBR / Ministry of Finance |
| Import declaration data (declaration-level or aggregated) | Revenue and elasticity analysis grounded in real trade | ASYCUDA / NBR |
| Import value and quantity data (by HS, origin, importer) | Unit-value benchmarking and revenue weighting | NBR / BBS / Customs |
| Classification rulings and advance rulings corpus | Precedent for AI classification and ruling intelligence | NBR / Bangladesh Customs |
| WCO Explanatory Notes & Classification Opinions (authorised edition) | Legal interpretation for classification — subject to WCO licensing | WCO (licensed) |
| Input–output / industry value-chain data | Effective-protection analysis | BBS / industry / I-O tables |
Plain-language definitions of the technical terms used in the platform and this guide. Use the search box above to jump to a term.
Click a question to expand the answer.
Common issues and how to resolve them.
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Charts show "Chart library offline" | No internet; the chart library loads from a CDN | Connect to the internet and reload. Tables and analysis still work offline. |
| External ruling search returns nothing / blocked | Foreign ruling databases block cross-site access (CORS) and may require licences | Use the provided search links in your own browser tab, or upload a results CSV. |
| TTI figures look wrong or inconsistent | Tax-base formula not set, or set differently than expected | Open Duty-Tax Simulation and confirm the formula; all modules then recompute consistently. |
| A module shows "Module error" | A render error, often from an unexpected uploaded file format | Reload the page; re-check the uploaded file's columns/format against the module's expected structure. |
| Uploaded SRO file produces no results | Column headers or HS-code format do not match | Match the expected columns and the HS-code digit length; remove merged header rows. |
| Export file will not open | Spreadsheet app association, or file still downloading | Open with Excel/LibreOffice; for CSV, import with UTF-8 encoding. |
| Classification suggestions seem off-target | Description too short or brand-only | Add composition, function, use, form and packaging, then re-run. |
| Print/PDF cuts content | Browser print scaling | Use the Print button, choose "Save as PDF", set margins to default and scale to "Fit". |
Before relying on any output operationally, work through this checklist. Your progress is tracked below (it is not saved and resets on reload).
Decision-support only. This is an AI-assisted decision-support platform. Its outputs are analytical estimates and suggestions intended to support — not replace — professional judgement.
Not a binding ruling. Nothing produced by the platform constitutes a binding classification, valuation, assessment or legal determination. Only the competent authority can issue a binding ruling.
Not a substitute for law. The platform is not a substitute for the Bangladesh Customs Tariff, the Customs Act, the VAT & SD Act, the Income Tax Act, the Finance Act, NBR SROs, or official customs rulings and guidance. Where the platform and an official source differ, the official source prevails.
Validate before use. Any duty, tax, SRO, valuation, classification or regulatory conclusion must be validated against current official sources before operational, assessment or policy use. The authors accept no liability for decisions taken on the basis of platform outputs without such validation.