Challenges to Import Trade Practices in Bangladesh

The importance of foreign trade is enormous for the financial development of Bangladesh as imports comprise a huge part of the country’s trade balance. However, import trade operations are beset with a myriad of hurdles including bureaucratic red tape, complicated customs formalities, insufficient port facilities, financial tightness and problems of corrupt practices (Rahman, 2020; Ahmed and Hossain, 2021). The research focuses on the examination and analysis of the critical barriers of the import procedures from the perspective of importers, custom authority and logistics expert in the country of Bangladesh. Adopting a positivist research approach, the research utilized judgmental sampling for gathering data from 100 respondents who were involved in importing activities. The theory base of this study was constructed after a critical examination of the current literature, concentrating on five main factors: bureaucratic complexity, customs requirements, financial issues, and port inefficiencies have a statistically significant negative impact on import trade, while corruption impact exerts an indirect influence (Chowdhury, 2023). The study offers meaningful insights for policymakers, trade authorities, and stakeholders aiming to streamline import procedures and foster sustainable trade development in Bangladesh.