Shipping to Bangladesh from Vietnam takes roughly 12 to 20 days to Chattogram depending on whether your booking is on a direct feeder or transships through Singapore, Port Klang or Colombo. AlphaTrans handles FCL and LCL in both directions and prepares Vietnam-side documents to match what your Bangladeshi buyer’s bank actually requires.
The freight is the simple part of this lane. Bangladesh runs one of the most tightly controlled import regimes in Asia — almost every commercial import moves against a Letter of Credit, the importer needs a valid licence before the bank will even open one, and marine insurance has to be placed locally. A shipment that is perfectly documented on the Vietnam side can still stall because something upstream in Dhaka was not in place.
This page covers the ports, the schedule, the duty structure, and the paperwork chain that decides whether your cargo moves.
Table of Contents
1. Bangladeshi Ports And Inland Depots
| Facility | UN/LOCODE | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Chattogram (formerly Chittagong) | BDCGP | The country’s main seaport, handling around 90% of Bangladesh’s foreign trade. Default discharge port for Vietnamese cargo |
| Mongla | BDMGL | Second seaport, on the Pashur River in the southwest. Lower volumes, less congestion, useful for cargo destined for Khulna and the western districts |
| Payra | — | Deep-sea port on the Rabnabad Channel in Patuakhali, operational since 2019 and still building out capacity |
| ICD Kamalapur, Dhaka | BDDAC | An inland container depot, not a seaport. Containers arrive at Chattogram and move inland by rail or road. Any quote showing “sea freight to Dhaka” is really Chattogram sea freight plus an inland leg |
Why the Dhaka distinction matters commercially. If your buyer asks for delivery to Dhaka, the quote must show the inland leg separately — rail to ICD Kamalapur or road haulage to a Dhaka-area warehouse. Bundling it invisibly into an ocean freight figure is how disputes start when the cargo sits at Chattogram waiting for inland transport.
Load ports in Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City / Cat Lai (VNSGN), Cai Mep – Thi Vai (VNCMT), Hai Phong (VNHPH), Da Nang (VNDAD).
2. FCL And LCL Service On This Route
2.1 LCL and consolidation
For shipments roughly 1–15 CBM. We consolidate your cargo with other shippers’ goods so you pay only for the space you use.
- Door-to-door — pickup at the shipper’s premises, delivery to the consignee’s warehouse
- Door-to-port — pickup at origin, delivery to Chattogram or Mongla
- Port-to-door — collection at the port of loading, delivery to the destination warehouse
- Port-to-port — collection and delivery both at port
All four run in both directions.
2.2 FCL
- 20′ and 40′ dry containers (20’GP, 40’GP, 40’HC)
- Reefer for seafood, food and temperature-controlled cargo
- Flat rack and open top for out-of-gauge cargo
- Tank containers for liquids
- Project and breakbulk handled separately
2.3 Container specifications
| Type | Internal length | Internal width | Internal height | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20′ Dry (20GP) | 5.90 m | 2.35 m | 2.39 m | ~33 m³ |
| 40′ Dry (40GP) | 12.03 m | 2.35 m | 2.39 m | ~67 m³ |
| 40′ High Cube (40HC) | 12.03 m | 2.35 m | 2.69 m | ~76 m³ |
| 20′ Reefer (20RF) | 5.49 m | 2.29 m | 2.27 m | ~28 m³ |
| 40′ Reefer (40RF) | 11.57 m | 2.29 m | 2.52 m | ~67 m³ |
Dimensions vary slightly by container manufacturer and age. Confirm against the actual unit for tight-fitting cargo.
2.4 Which to choose
| Factor | Choose LCL | Choose FCL |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | Under ~15 CBM | Over ~15 CBM |
| Cost per CBM | Lower for small volumes | Lower once the threshold is crossed |
| Transit time | Longer — consolidation and deconsolidation add days | Faster |
| Chattogram dwell risk | Higher — LCL deconsolidation adds handling in a congested port | Lower |
| Cargo isolation | Shared container | Your cargo only |
LCL and FCL sea freight services Bangladesh to Vietnam and otherwise
3. Transit Times
3.1 Vietnam to Bangladesh
| Route | Estimated transit |
|---|---|
| Ho Chi Minh City (Cat Lai) – Chattogram | 12–18 days |
| Hai Phong – Chattogram | 13–20 days |
| Da Nang – Chattogram | 15–22 days |
| Any Vietnamese port – Mongla | Add 3–5 days |
| Chattogram – ICD Kamalapur (inland leg) | Add 3–7 days |
3.2 Bangladesh to Vietnam
| Route | Estimated transit |
|---|---|
| Chattogram – Ho Chi Minh City | 12–18 days |
| Chattogram – Hai Phong | 13–20 days |
Lead times are indicative and depend on the specific service, transshipment connection and berth availability at Chattogram. Contact us for current schedules against your cargo ready date.
The variable that matters most is berth waiting time at Chattogram. The port handles the overwhelming majority of Bangladesh’s trade through limited berth capacity, and vessel waiting can add days that no sailing schedule shows. Build buffer into any delivery commitment, and be sceptical of any forwarder quoting a single fixed number on this lane.
Most Vietnam–Bangladesh services are transshipment routings via Singapore, Port Klang or Colombo rather than direct sailings. A missed connection at the hub adds a full week. Ask which hub your booking connects through — it is the single best predictor of whether the schedule will hold.
4. What Determines Your Landed Cost
4.1 There is no free trade agreement between Vietnam and Bangladesh
This is the most important commercial fact on this page, and it is widely misunderstood.
- Bangladesh is not an ASEAN member and has no access to AFTA or ATIGA
- Vietnam is not a member of APTA (the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement covers Bangladesh, China, India, Laos, Mongolia, South Korea and Sri Lanka)
- There is no bilateral Vietnam–Bangladesh FTA in force
Consequence: Vietnamese goods entering Bangladesh pay MFN rates, not preferential rates. A Certificate of Origin is still required for customs and for the buyer’s LC documentation, but it does not reduce duty the way Form D or Form AANZ would on an ASEAN lane.
Budget accordingly. If a supplier or forwarder has told your buyer that a Form D or an APTA certificate will bring duty to zero on this route, that is wrong, and the correction arrives as an unexpected duty assessment after the cargo has landed.
4.2 Bangladesh’s layered duty structure
Bangladesh applies several charges on top of each other, administered by the National Board of Revenue (NBR):
| Component | Notes |
|---|---|
| Customs Duty (CD) | Varies by HS code |
| Supplementary Duty (SD) | Applied to selected goods, often consumer and luxury items |
| Value Added Tax (VAT) | Standard rate 15% |
| Advance Income Tax (AIT) | Creditable against the importer’s income tax |
| Advance Trade VAT (ATV) | Applies to commercial importers |
| Regulatory Duty (RD) | Applied to selected tariff lines |
The combined Total Tax Incidence (TTI) on some categories exceeds the value of the goods. This is not a lane where duty can be estimated from a headline tariff rate — the components stack, and rates change with the annual budget.
What we do: we confirm the HS code and ask your Bangladeshi buyer to obtain the current TTI from NBR or their clearing agent before the LC is opened, not after the container sails.
Check it yourself: the Bangladesh Trade Portal and NBR’s HS code directory publish current rates.
5. The Letter Of Credit Chain: Why Shipments Stall
Bangladesh’s import regime runs on documentary credit and licensing. Most delays we see on this lane originate here, not at sea. The sequence your buyer must complete before you ship:
- Step 1 — Import Registration Certificate (IRC). Issued by the Office of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports (CCI&E) under the Ministry of Commerce. Valid one year, renewable annually. Without a valid IRC, no Bangladeshi bank will open an LC. If your buyer’s IRC has lapsed, everything stops.
- Step 2 — Proforma Invoice from you. It must carry the HS code, country of origin, payment terms and Incoterm. Banks reject proformas missing the HS code, because the LCA form is built from it.
- Step 3 — Marine insurance placed in Bangladesh. The importer must buy cover from a Bangladeshi insurance company before the LC is opened. This has a direct commercial consequence: CIF terms are awkward on this lane, because insurance you arrange in Vietnam does not satisfy the requirement. CFR and FOB are the practical defaults. Quoting CIF to a Bangladeshi buyer often means renegotiating the terms later.
- Step 4 — LCA form and LC opening. The Letter of Credit Authorisation form goes to an Authorised Dealer (AD) bank with the IRC, TIN, BIN, trade licence, chamber of commerce membership and insurance cover note.
- Step 5 — Bill of Entry via ASYCUDA World. The importer or their clearing agent lodges the entry electronically through NBR’s ASYCUDA World system, uploading the LC, invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and transport documents.
What this means for you as the Vietnamese exporter
- Do not ship against a proforma alone. Confirm the LC has actually been opened and that you have received the advice through your bank.
- Match the documents to the LC exactly. Bangladeshi banks enforce LC terms strictly. A discrepancy in description, quantity or shipping marks between your invoice, packing list, B/L and certificate of origin will trigger a discrepancy notice and hold payment.
- Check the latest shipment date and LC expiry against your realistic cargo ready date, allowing for Chattogram berth waiting.
- Agree the Incoterm around the insurance rule, not around habit.
AlphaTrans prepares the Vietnam-side document set to match the LC wording before the vessel departs. We are not your bank and we do not give banking advice — but we have seen enough discrepancy notices on this lane to know exactly where they come from.
6. Bangladesh’s LDC Graduation: 24 November 2026
Bangladesh is scheduled to graduate from Least Developed Country status on 24 November 2026. This is one of the most consequential trade events in South Asia this decade, and it is three months away.
What changes. LDC status gives Bangladesh duty-free access to markets including the EU (under Everything But Arms), the UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and China. Roughly three-quarters of Bangladesh’s merchandise exports currently move under some preferential scheme. Graduation phases these out — the EU, UK and Canada have agreed a three-year transition to around November 2029, while access to China, Japan, South Korea and South Asian markets will depend on bilateral negotiation.
Note: Bangladesh has formally requested a deferral to 2029. As of writing, the November 2026 date stands. Confirm the current position before making commercial decisions.
Why a Vietnamese shipper should care. Graduation does not change duty on Vietnamese goods entering Bangladesh — that is already MFN. But it reshapes Bangladeshi manufacturers’ cost structures, particularly in ready-made garments, and that flows into demand for the inputs Vietnam supplies: fabric, yarn, accessories, machinery and electrical components. Expect sourcing patterns and order volumes on this lane to shift through 2027–2029.
Source: UN OHRLLS — Bangladesh Graduation Readiness Assessment
7. Commodities On This Lane
Vietnam to Bangladesh
- Fabric, yarn and garment accessories feeding the RMG industry
- Footwear and leather goods
- Electrical machinery, cables and components
- Clinker, cement and construction materials
- Rice, coffee, tea and agricultural products
- Seafood and processed food
- Plastics, resins and chemical inputs
Bangladesh to Vietnam
- Raw jute and jute yarn
- Leather and leather products
- Frozen fish and seafood
- Pharmaceuticals
- Ready-made garments and textiles
- Ceramics
Goods are frequently imported and exported from Bangladesh to Vietnam
8. How AlphaTrans Handles Your Shipment
- Quotation request — cargo details (dimensions, weight, HS code), cargo ready date, Incoterm, port of loading and destination. Tell us if the final destination is Dhaka, so the inland leg is priced separately and visibly.
- Quotation issued — freight rate, POL/POD, the transshipment hub, estimated schedule, and a note on which Incoterm works given Bangladesh’s local insurance requirement.
- Pre-shipment check — HS code confirmed, certificate of origin scoped, and a check that your buyer’s LC is actually open and its terms match what you can deliver.
- Booking and document preparation — space confirmed while the invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and any phytosanitary or fumigation certificate are prepared to match the LC wording.
- Export clearance and loading — handled by AlphaTrans where the Incoterm assigns it to the seller; otherwise coordinated with the buyer’s nominated agent.
- Ocean transit and tracking — cut-off, sailing date, transshipment status and expected arrival, with any change reported immediately.
- Arrival and clearance — coordinated with our Bangladesh agent or the consignee’s clearing agent, including inland movement to ICD Kamalapur or a Dhaka warehouse where required.
9. Why Customers Choose AlphaTrans For This Route
- We check the LC chain before you ship. On a lane where most delays start in a Dhaka bank rather than at sea, this prevents more trouble than anything else we do.
- In-house licensed customs brokers — Vietnam-side clearance handled by our own team, not outsourced.
- Honest routing information — we tell you which transshipment hub your booking connects through and what the realistic range is, rather than quoting one fixed number.
- Our own fleet — 65 container tractor units and 200 trailers, plus yard capacity in Cu Chi (HCMC) and Binh Duong.
- Seven offices across Vietnam — HCMC, Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Dung Quat.
- ISO 9001:2015 certified, D-U-N-S registered (557079259).
- Supporting services — phytosanitary certification, fumigation, certificate of origin applications, cargo tallying and packing.
- Carrier relationships — Maersk, CMA CGM, MSC, COSCO, ONE, Hapag-Lloyd, Evergreen, PIL, OOCL and others operating this lane.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does shipping to Bangladesh from Vietnam take? Roughly 12 to 18 days from Ho Chi Minh City to Chattogram, and 13 to 20 days from Hai Phong. Most services transship through Singapore, Port Klang or Colombo, so the connection at the hub matters more than the headline number. Berth waiting at Chattogram can add several days on top.
Can I ship directly to Dhaka? Not by sea. Dhaka is inland with no seaport. Containers discharge at Chattogram and move to ICD Kamalapur or a Dhaka warehouse by rail or road, typically adding 3 to 7 days. Any quote presenting “sea freight to Dhaka” as a single figure is hiding an inland leg.
Is there a free trade agreement between Vietnam and Bangladesh? No. Bangladesh is not in ASEAN and Vietnam is not in APTA, and there is no bilateral agreement. Vietnamese goods pay Bangladesh’s MFN rates. A certificate of origin is still needed for customs and the LC, but it does not reduce duty on this lane.
Why does my Bangladeshi buyer need a Letter of Credit? Most commercial imports into Bangladesh move against an LC opened through an Authorised Dealer bank. The importer needs a valid Import Registration Certificate before the bank will open one, plus an LCA form, TIN, BIN, trade licence and a marine insurance cover note from a Bangladeshi insurer.
Should I quote CIF to a Bangladeshi buyer? Usually not. Bangladeshi importers are required to place marine insurance with a local insurance company, so insurance you arrange in Vietnam does not satisfy the requirement. CFR and FOB are the practical defaults on this lane.
Can you ship small volumes under 15 CBM? Yes, through LCL consolidation — you pay only for the volume you use. Bear in mind that LCL deconsolidation at Chattogram adds handling time in a congested port.
What does Bangladesh’s LDC graduation mean for shipments from Vietnam? It does not change the duty on Vietnamese goods entering Bangladesh, which is already MFN. It does change Bangladeshi exporters’ access to the EU, UK and other markets from November 2026, with a transition period to around 2029 in several of them. That will reshape demand for the fabric, yarn, accessories and machinery Vietnam supplies.
What documents do I need to ship to Bangladesh? Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin and the customs declaration, plus the Letter of Credit on the buyer’s side. Depending on the commodity you may also need an MSDS, phytosanitary certificate or fumigation certificate. Every document must match the LC wording exactly.
10. Get A Free Consultation On The Vietnam – Bangladesh Route
Send us your cargo details and HS code and we will come back with a freight rate, the current schedule with its transshipment hub, and a note on which Incoterm and document set will work with your buyer’s LC.
Address: 45a Nguyen Thuong Hien, Ward Binh Loi Trung, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
For more, consult :
Cargo Shipping Service To China And China To Vietnam
