In a landmark move to revolutionize cross-border trade, the Bangladesh Bank (BB) has introduced a new Business-to-Business-to-Consumer (B2B2C) framework to significantly boost online exports. This major policy step, announced via a foreign exchange circular on November 24, 2025, represents the first time online exports have been formally allowed through this structure.
The initiative is designed to expand the country’s export channels and integrate Bangladeshi products more effectively into the global digital retail chain, aligning regulations with practices widely used in global e-commerce supply chains.
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Understanding the B2B2C Framework
Under this new policy, Bangladeshi products can now be sold directly to global buyers (the ‘Consumer’) through reputable international online platforms and marketplaces. This model officially allows shipments under the B2B2C structure.
Crucially, the export process involves an intermediary (the ‘Business’). Exports are completed through entities such as international e-commerce platforms, third-party warehouses, logistics providers, or fulfillment centers, rather than shipping directly to the final customer. This enables Bangladeshi exporters to sell through globally recognized platforms like Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Alibaba, and Etsy.
For instance, a Bangladeshi leather goods manufacturer can ship a batch of handbags to an Amazon FBA (Fulfilment by Amazon) warehouse in the United States. In this scenario, Amazon acts as the consignee, even though it is not the final purchaser of the goods.
Major Procedural Breakthroughs for Exporters
The central bank’s policy relaxation has addressed several long-standing obstacles that previously hindered small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) from entering global digital retail.
Simplified Documentation
The B2B2C framework often lacks traditional sales contracts between the exporter and the consignee/intermediary. The new rules accommodate this global practice through key changes:
- Proof of Registration: To execute exports under this framework, exporters must provide the Authorized Dealer (AD) bank with documented proof of their registration with the recognized international online platform or overseas warehouse.
- Proforma Invoices: Exporters can now declare the consignment value based on a proforma invoice, eliminating the necessity of a conventional sales contract.
- Consignee Acceptance: AD banks are now authorized to accept shipping documents prepared in the name of the intermediary providing the warehousing or facilitating services.
Flexible Payment Realization and Reconciliation
The policy also streamlines the realization of export proceeds, which is often complex in platform-based sales:
- Payment Channels: Export proceeds can be repatriated through normal banking channels, including payments routed via legitimate international payment service operators.
- Relaxed Matching: Since export receipts under platform sales often cover multiple shipments and correspond to multiple invoices, the central bank has relaxed the requirement for one-to-one payment matching.
- FIFO Settlement: Dealer banks can now reconcile these pooled receipts using the First-in, First-out (FIFO) method, meaning earlier shipments will be settled first. Furthermore, ADs may permit the realization of proceeds that exceed the declared value, provided due diligence and appropriate documentation are supplied.
A Game-Changer for SMEs and Diversification
Industry stakeholders have overwhelmingly welcomed this reform, calling it a “game-changer for Bangladesh’s cross-border e-commerce”. The new framework is expected to deliver substantial benefits to the national economy and small businesses:
- Formalization: The official channel will formalize hundreds of millions of dollars in online exports that were previously shipped through informal routes, personal accounts, or third-party methods because banks couldn’t process the documentation properly.
- Wider Market Access: The policy lowers entry barriers for SMEs and individual entrepreneurs, providing wider market access and opening new markets. Now, businesses can operate like exporters from countries such as China, Vietnam, or India.
- Diversified Growth: This framework is expected to accelerate diversified export growth and supports the export of new product categories, including light consumer goods, lifestyle items, crafts, and niche products.
- Global Visibility: By strengthening Bangladesh’s footprint in the international online marketplace, the policy is expected to increase the country’s visibility on global e-commerce platforms.
By embracing the B2B2C model, the policy is set to unlock an important new export stream, helping to diversify earnings beyond the traditional garment sector as digital commerce continues its worldwide expansion.
Think of the B2B2C policy like building a dedicated, official express lane onto the global digital highway. Previously, small exporters were forced to use informal side roads or confusing documentation paths because their destination (the consumer) was different from their drop-off point (the warehouse). Now, the BB has officially recognized the drop-off point as a legitimate stop, creating a fast, formal, and organized route for goods to reach millions of international customers.