Bangladesh Bank (BB) allowed freight forwarders, handling FOB (Free- On- Board) export cargo, for opening foreign currency accounts to facilitate the payments in foreign currency.

Shipping lines, airlines and multimodal transport operators licensed as freight forwarders by Customs Authorities

will now be able to open and maintain accounts in US dollar or other freely convertible currencies with Authorized

Dealer (AD) banks to receive payments in foreign currency against their handling of FOB export cargos from

Bangladesh. Foreign Exchange Policy Department (FEPD) deputy general manager Md Zakir Hossain

Chowdhury on Monday issued a circular directing the AD banks to follow the instruction. Funds from these

accounts will be usable in foreign currency for payments costs and charges abroad relating to handling of FOB

imports into Bangladesh, said the central bank circular.