Dhaka: Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Tuesday said the government has taken necessary initiatives to digitise Bangladesh Customs as part of its Digital Bangladesh vision.

‘The government has taken a development programme titled Digital Bangladesh in order to use modern information technology in all spheres of the state management. The digitisation of Bangladesh Customs has been included in the programme,’ UNB reported his as saying while addressing a seminar at the Officers’ Club in the capital.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) organised the programme marking the International Customs Day that was observed in the country as elsewhere across the globe on Tuesday with the theme ‘Digital Customs: Progressive Engagement’.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said the importance of Customs is increasing day by day globally. ‘And this is why importance is being given on the modernisation and automation of customs across the world.’

He also said Bangladesh Customs is playing an important role in the country’s import-export trade.

Tofail noted that the Customs will contribute further to the expansion and development of international trade if it is dititised and modernised.

Presided over by NBR chairman M Nojibur Rahman, the function was addressed, among others, by Prime Minister’s Economic Affairs Adviser Mashiur Rahman, FBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmad and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance Ministry Abdur Razzak.