Service delivery from the offices of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports (CCIE) is expected to be faster as associated fees can now be deposited online using its online licensing module (OLM).

From now the service seekers, especially businesspeople who want new export and import licences or renew one, can deposit the fees through a "Sonali Payment Gateway", an e-payment software of the country's largest public commercial lender, Sonali Bank.

The service seekers can use the bank's branches, online account transfers, mobile financial services like bKash, Rocket, Nagad and Ucash, debit or credit cards like Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Nexus and any other online payment systems.

The CCIE, an office under the commerce ministry, also issues certificates of export, import and export permits, approvals of re-export and extension of time for shipping goods.

The CCIE signed a memorandum of understanding with Sonali Bank yesterday to use "Sonali Payment Gateway" in presence of Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi at his secretariat office in Dhaka.

Afterwards, CCIE Suleman Khan said use of the online platform would save both time and money of service seekers.

He, however, could not state exactly how many days or how much money could be saved.

"We cannot say (anything about it) without conducting any study," Khan told The Daily Star over the phone after the signing.

But it is sure to occur as it will do away with going to bank branches or Bangladesh Bank and allow making payments from anywhere using the online tools available, he said.

This will also help Bangladesh improve in the ranking of the ease of doing business as such initiatives will remove barriers to business, he said.

The CCIE launched the OLM software in July last year to fast deliver services.

At yesterday's ceremony, Munshi said Bangladesh has advanced towards digital payment systems because of the government's plan for digitalisation.

For instance, many young people have started opening business platforms using the digital facilities, he said.

Even basic commodities like onion and edible oil are also traded on digital platforms, the minister said, adding that this was previously unthinkable in Bangladesh.

The strength of the digital platform has been realised when the pandemic was at its most severe with people confined to their homes and online sellers moving in and serving people digitally, the minister also said.

Munshi also expects Bangladesh's ranking in the ease of doing business to improve due to the move.

This is the beginning, the minister said, adding that gradually such payment systems would be introduced at the ministry's two other offices, of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms, and Export Promotion Bureau.

CCIE Suleman Khan and Subhash Chandra Das, chief financial officer of Sonali Bank, signed the deal on behalf of their respective offices.

Commerce Secretary Md Jafar Uddin and Ataur Rahman, managing director and chief executive officer of Sonali Bank, also spoke.