How an EXP number is built, how the electronic EXP works with Customs, the 14-day rule, and how long to keep records.
If an export were a parcel, the EXP form would be its tracking number. It is born before Customs, travels with the goods, and is "closed" only when the money arrives.
This lesson follows one EXP from birth to filing: its number, its electronic journey, the documents that follow, and the checks the bank makes.
Every EXP has an 11-digit number:
Banks may give exporters an OEMS user ID so they can create electronic EXP forms themselves. The Export Register may be kept electronically, with backups as per the bank's IT security policy.
Example (made up): 0123 00457 26 means branch 0123, the 457th entry in its export register, in 2026. Read an EXP number like a home address: area, house number, year you moved in.
Export of goods from Bangladesh is subject to declaration by exporters on EXP Form. ADs may provide Online Export Monitoring System (OEMS) user ID to their customers to generate electronic EXP Forms. The EXP Form shall contain 11 digits as shown below:
AD's Code | Serial Number | Serial Year
EXP NO. The first four boxes of EXP number will bear the branch code prescribed by Bangladesh Bank for each AD branch, the next five boxes are meant for mentioning the serial number of the Export Register (as per Appendix-2) of the branch and the last two boxes are meant for mentioning the last two digits of the year of registration. ADs may maintain Export Register in electronic form with data backup as per IT Security Policy of the ADs.
Source: Bangladesh Bank, FEPD-1 Circular No. 26, 30 July 2026, Part A, paragraph 11 (page 9). The original circular is the authority.
Here is the electronic EXP in seven steps:
A Chattogram knitwear unit ships on Sunday the 1st. The shipping data should go into OEMS right away. The signed hard copy and certified Bill of Export are due at the bank by the 15th. Rafiq puts both dates in his diary the day the ship sails.
(1) Electronic option to submit EXP Form is acceptable in Bangladesh Bank OEMS for export of goods prior to customs formalities. Accordingly, ADs shall accept EXP Form submitted electronically by their exporter-customers, information of which will subsequently be available in customs electronic system for onward formalities.
(2) Exporters shall execute export formalities with the Customs Authority for issuance of Bill of Export based on information of EXP Form available in customs electronic system. Immediately on completion of shipment of goods from Bangladesh, exporters shall report/ submit transport/shipping information in Bangladesh Bank OEMS to close the procedure. For on time submission of shipment information, ADs need to follow up with exporters so that they can report shipment information immediately on completion of shipment of goods. In case of non-reporting, ADs shall complete the reporting formalities on receipt of documents from exporters within 14 days from the date of shipment.
(3) Bill of Export issued by the Customs Authority to permit the shipment will suffice the requirement of existing customs assessment as necessary on paper based EXP Form. Hence, certification by Customs Authority shall not be required on EXP Form submitted electronically by exporters.
(4) Within 14 days from the date of shipment of goods from Bangladesh, exporters shall submit a signed hardcopy of the electronically submitted EXP Form together with Bill of Export duly certified by the Customs Authority and relevant shipping documents covering export of goods to ADs for compliance in accordance with paragraph 19 of this Part.
(5) Signed hardcopy of EXP Form submitted by exporters to ADs as per (4) above shall be treated as original. ADs shall post-facto certify the same and observe subsequent formalities including passing documents abroad for collection and disposal thereof with routine reports.
(6) Electronic EXP Form is applicable only for export through customs houses having electronic system of Bill of Export issuance. The paper based EXP Form submission may continue for exports through customs houses without having electronic arrangement.
(7) Bangladesh Bank assigns User IDs and Passwords to exporters upon request through their ADs. In this regard, ADs need to upload the requests containing authenticated information of exporters to OEMS.
Source: Bangladesh Bank, FEPD-1 Circular No. 26, 30 July 2026, Part A, paragraph 12 (page 10). The original circular is the authority.
Closing the EXP. An electronic EXP is "disposed of" once the bank reports the money received online. Paper copies follow the usual process.
Who gets the papers. The exporter submits the EXP and documents to the bank that will receive payment. If another bank receives the money, it passes the EXP details to the exporter's designated bank so the register can be updated.
Moving the dollars. Export money received by another bank or an OBU must be transferred in foreign currency to the exporter's designated bank by the next business day, through Bangladesh Bank's FC clearing. The designated bank converts the encashable part to Taka by the next business day. (Jute exports through traders nominated by BJMC are excused from the transfer.)
14 days. All shipping documents must reach the bank within 14 days of shipment.
Checking. The bank verifies shipping documents with Customs' online EGM (or a recognised tracking system if EGM data is missing), compares invoice and EXP, and makes sure the invoice is never below the customs value. Watch for mis-invoicing; report anything suspicious. Small differences explained by normal trade charges are fine if the bank records and signs them.
Keep the file 5 years. If an investigation is running, keep it until the investigators give clearance.
The invoice says USD 40,000; the customs value says USD 45,000. A lower invoice than customs value is a red flag for under-invoicing, a classic way to leave money abroad. The bank does not accept it as it is.
(1) The electronic EXP Form is to be considered disposed of after online reporting of export proceeds repatriation. However, the hard copy of EXP Form is to be disposed of in usual manner.
Submission of export documents to ADs
(2) The exporter must submit EXP Form along with the invoices and other export documents to the AD through whom payment for the goods exported is to be received. In the event of payment being received through an AD other than the designated AD of exporters, the AD negotiating or collecting or repatriating proceeds against relative export should convey the particulars of the EXP Form to the designated AD of exporter to enable the latter to make a suitable note in the relative export register.
(3) ADs executing export transactions need to receive foreign currency from AD having repatriated export proceeds. In this context, ADs repatriating export proceeds needs to transfer the fund in foreign currency to ADs designated for export transactions. In case of payment against export bill discounting or early payment arrangement in foreign currency by other ADs or offshore banking units (OBUs), the foreign currency fund shall be transferred to designated AD. Export proceeds repatriated through ADs of buying agents shall also be transferred in foreign currency to exporter's AD. While making transfer, ADs shall keep records of the transactions suitably for proper reconciliation. The transfer is to be executed by the following business day on completion of the relevant transactions through Bangladesh Bank FC clearing service. On receipt of the fund, designated ADs shall convert the encashable portion of foreign currency in Taka following the relevant instructions and make the same available to exporter's account maintained with them. In all cases, conversion of export proceeds is required to be executed through designated ADs by the following business day, unless otherwise exempted, on receipt of the fund in their respective accounts either from other ADs/OBUs or abroad. However transfer of foreign currency to exporter's ADs is not mandatory for jute export facilitated by traders nominated by BJMC.
(4) All shipping documents covering goods exported from Bangladesh and declared on EXP Form must be passed through ADs within 14 days from the date of shipment. The copy (signed copy in case of electronic EXP) of the EXP Form and the shipping documents etc. should be submitted to ADs in time to enable them to report to Bangladesh Bank within 14 days from the date of shipment of the goods covered by the Form.
Scrutiny of documents
(5) On receipt of the EXP Form and the documents covering the exports, ADs shall verify the shipping documents using online EGM of Customs Authority. ADs shall conduct the tracking of shipments through tracking system recognized by competent authority for the cases where EGM data is not available. ADs should compare the relative bill and/or documents with the relative EXP Form and satisfy themselves that the declaration made on the Form is correct. In no case, the invoice value should be less than the value declared for customs purposes. Special care should be exercised in checking the invoices with a view to detecting misinvoicing of exports. Any suspicious circumstance should be reported to Bangladesh Bank.
(6) If the difference between the values stated on the EXP Form and the amount of the bill/invoice is small and accounted for legitimate trade charges etc. ADs may accept the bill/documents for negotiation/collection. The details of such adjustments must be given on the relative form and must be authenticated by ADs under their stamp and signatures.
(7) After negotiation of the bill or acceptance of the documents for collection, ADs should keep record in export registers.
(8) ADs shall retain the signed EXP Form with them for record and eventual inspection for a period of 5 (Five) years. However, in respect of cases which are under investigation by Bangladesh Bank inspection team/other Government agencies, the EXP Form and full set of export documents shall be disposed of only after obtaining clearance from the inspection team/Government agency concerned.
Source: Bangladesh Bank, FEPD-1 Circular No. 26, 30 July 2026, Part A, paragraph 19 (page 13). The original circular is the authority.
One EXP, three lives: a number, an electronic journey with a 14-day deadline, and a file kept for five years. Next we look at the real "key" to the goods, the shipping documents, and who is allowed to hold it.
Four quick questions. Nobody sees your answers but you.
A-11: first four boxes are the branch code prescribed by Bangladesh Bank.
A-12(4) and A-19(4): 14 days from the date of shipment.
A-19(5): in no case should the invoice value be less than the value declared for customs.
A-19(8): five years, or longer if an investigation is running.
Anonymous. It only adds one to a count, so we know who the lessons are helping. We never learn who you are.
Brain feeling full? Take a tea break.