Bangladesh Bank has extended the tenure of its pre-shipment credit refinance scheme until December 31, 2030, to ensure continued financial support for export-oriented industries amid ongoing global economic uncertainty.
In a circular issued recently, the central bank announced that the facility—previously set to expire in April 2025—will now remain active for an additional five years under a revolving arrangement.
The move is aimed at sustaining export growth, maintaining production continuity, and strengthening foreign currency inflows as global trade faces disruptions linked to geopolitical tensions.
Under the revised framework, up to Tk 5,000 crore from the Tk 10,000 crore Export Facilitation Pre-finance Fund (EFPF) will be allocated for refinancing pre-shipment credit on a first-come, first-served basis.
All scheduled banks are eligible to access the scheme. However, participating banks must sign a new agreement with Bangladesh Bank to avail the facility.
The central bank’s Banking Regulations and Policy Department-3 will oversee the fund’s management and issue operational guidelines as required.
Banks are required to apply for refinancing within one week of disbursing pre-shipment credit to exporters. Applications may still be accepted within an additional 15 days if justified with valid reasons.
To enhance transparency and monitoring, banks must submit quarterly reports on loan disbursement and recovery within 15 days after each quarter ends.
The circular also sets an exposure limit, stating that no single institution or business group can hold more than Tk 200 crore under the scheme at any given time.
Other provisions outlined in earlier circulars issued in 2022 and 2023 will remain unchanged.
