About Open Trade Bangladesh

Why this site exists

Foreign exchange circulars are long, precise and full of cross-references. A new banker often reads the first line three times, then waits for a senior colleague who is too busy to explain. This site is that patient colleague: it explains each rule with a story, an example from the desk and a few practice questions.

Beyond the rules, the site also explains the business and economics around trade, such as accounting, financial statement analysis, corporate finance, capital budgeting, international business and supply chains, in our own words and with local examples.

It is written first for the thousands of bankers who handle trade and foreign exchange in Bangladesh. It is also for exporters, importers, students, and people abroad who want to trade with or invest in Bangladesh.

What it is, and what it is not

• It is an independent, volunteer-run study aid, offered free of charge.
• It is not Bangladesh Bank, a government office or any bank's website, and it does not speak for any of them.
• It is not legal advice. The original circular or law is always the final word. Every lesson links to it.
• Contributors write in their personal capacity, not for their employers.

How the lessons are made and checked

1. Each lesson is written from the original Bangladesh Bank circular, paragraph by paragraph.
2. Every plain-English explanation is checked against the exact circular text, which sits under each explanation ("Read the rule as written").
3. Experienced bankers review each area before it opens. Reviewers will be named here as they join.
4. When Bangladesh Bank issues a new circular, the affected lessons are updated and the date at the bottom of each page changes.

Export lessons currently follow FEPD-1 Circular No. 26 (30 July 2026). Last checked 7 October 2026.

Found a mistake? Have a question?

Every paragraph has "Ask about this paragraph" and "Report a mistake" links. They open an email to [email protected]. If the link doesn't open your email app, copy the address and write to us directly. Please include the paragraph number (for example, Export A-8) and, for a mistake, the source that shows the correct rule. We aim to fix confirmed mistakes within three working days.

A space to ask and discuss with other bankers is coming. Until then, email is the way to reach us.

Community rules

Seven short rules for everyone who asks, answers or comments.

1. The circular is the boss. Every answer points to a paragraph or circular. "I think so" is welcome as an opinion, not as a fact.
2. No customer or bank secrets. No customer names, account numbers, LC numbers or your bank's internal procedures. Ask about the rule, not the file.
3. No shame in asking. There are no silly questions here. Mocking a question earns a warning; doing it again means removal.
4. Label opinions. Views on grey areas are welcome when they are clearly marked as opinion.
5. No selling, no politics. No ads, recruitment drives, or talk about specific banks or officials.
6. Report, don't fight. If an answer looks wrong, report it and give the source.
7. Personal capacity. Everyone writes as themselves, not for their employer.

Copyright and sources

Bangladesh Bank circulars are public regulatory documents. Their text is quoted here for study, always with the source and a link to the original. The explanations, examples, stories and questions on this site are our own work. For international rules such as those of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), we explain the ideas in our own words and do not reproduce the rules themselves.

Privacy: we don't need to know who you are

You can read every lesson, take every quiz and use the Word Book without giving us your name, email or anything else. In plain words, here is all that is collected:

• Visit counts. We use Cloudflare Web Analytics to count visits: which pages are read, roughly which country, and phone or computer. It uses no cookies and does not identify you.
• "Which describes you best?" After a quiz you may tap one answer, or skip it. The tap only adds one to a count for that answer. It is not linked to you, and we ask only once.
• Your quiz progress. The ✓ marks are saved only in your own browser, on your own device. We never see them. Clearing your browser data removes them.
• Progress code. To move your progress to another device, the Export room shows a code like OTB-EXA-1235. It contains only the numbers of the lessons you finished. You copy it yourself; it is never sent to us.
• Emails you send us. If you ask a question, report a mistake or join the reader circle, we see your email address. We use it only to reply or send the monthly update. We never share or sell it.

Reader circle

One short email a month: new lessons and new circulars explained in two lines. To join, email [email protected] with the subject Join the reader circle. We keep only your email address. To leave, reply Stop and your address is deleted.

Comments and discussion

When the discussion space opens, it will run on a separate service (first a Facebook group, later a forum). You will appear there under your profile name or a username you choose. Joining needs a moderator's approval, to keep out spam and keep the community rules. Nothing from that service is added to this website.