Bill of Lading Disputes in Bangladesh 2026: House Bills, Freight Forwarders and Delivery Without Originals

Bill of lading dispute Bangladesh: the 2026 legal framework

A bill of lading dispute Bangladesh traders face usually begins with a container that has gone to the wrong person, a bank that never released the documents, or a freight forwarder whose name is on the bill but who says it was only an agent. Behind each scenario sits the same question: what does the bill of lading say, who holds it, and who is bound by it. Bangladesh answers that question through a small set of old statutes, the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1925 and the Bills of Lading Act 1856, applied by the Admiralty Court and, since 2026, by the new commercial courts.

This guide brings the bill of lading angles together in one place: the Hague Rules as they apply in Bangladesh, master and house bills, freight forwarder and NVOCC liability, delivery without the original bill and letters of indemnity, the rights of banks under LC-backed bills, time bars, jurisdiction clauses and the practical release process at Chattogram Port. Survey evidence, arrest procedure and demurrage are covered in companion TRW guides.

Summary: A bill of lading is a receipt, evidence of the contract of carriage and a document of title. In Bangladesh, the Hague Rules apply by statute to outbound shipments, the Bills of Lading Act 1856 transfers contractual rights to consignees and endorsees, and the Admiralty Court hears cargo and carriage claims. Most disputes turn on three facts: who contracted as carrier, who held the original bill, and when the one-year time bar started to run.

Key point: A carrier that releases cargo without production of an original bill does so at its own risk, and a letter of indemnity only shifts that risk to the party who gave it. If you hold an unendorsed original bill and the goods have gone, act at once: the limitation period for non-delivery against a carrier is one year from the date the goods ought to have been delivered.

At a glance

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Table of Contents

What makes a bill of lading dispute Bangladesh courts will hear

Every bill of lading performs three functions, and each function produces its own type of dispute. As a receipt, it records the quantity, marks and apparent condition of the goods when shipped, so arguments about short shipment or pre-shipment damage start with what the bill says. As evidence of the contract of carriage, it carries the carrier's terms, including liability limits, time bars, law and jurisdiction clauses. As a document of title, an order bill controls who may demand delivery at destination, which is why misdelivery claims are really claims about possession of paper.

The statutes that govern bills of lading

The Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1925 gives statutory effect to the Hague Rules for ships carrying goods from any port in Bangladesh to any other port, in or outside Bangladesh.[1] The Bills of Lading Act 1856 transfers rights of suit under the bill to the named consignee and to an endorsee to whom property in the goods passes, preserves the right of stoppage in transit and claims for freight, and makes the bill conclusive evidence of shipment against the master or other signatory in the hands of a consignee or endorsee for value.[2] The Contract Act 1872 supplies the general law of agency, bailment and jurisdiction clauses.[5]

Has the law changed in 2025 or 2026?

The core bill of lading statutes have not changed. References to a "Bangladesh Merchant Shipping Act 2020" should be treated with caution: as at October 2026 we have found no enacted statute of that name on the official Laws of Bangladesh database, which continues to carry the Bangladesh Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1983, and neither instrument governs bills of lading in any event.

The changes that matter for a bill of lading dispute Bangladesh parties run in 2026 are procedural and regulatory. The Commercial Courts Act 2026 lists carriage of goods as a commercial dispute.[6] The Shipping Agent Licensing Rules 2025, gazetted by the National Board of Revenue on 30 December 2025, created a separate licensing regime for shipping agents.[10] Freight forwarder licensing is under review, and Bangladesh Bank opened a pilot for electronic trade documents in July 2026.[8] [9] Our overview of maritime law in Bangladesh sets out the wider statutory map.

The Hague Rules under the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1925

For outbound cargo, the Hague Rules are compulsory. Section 3 of the 1925 Act removes any implied absolute warranty of seaworthiness, and section 4 requires every bill of lading issued in Bangladesh that evidences a contract to which the Rules apply to state expressly that it takes effect subject to them.[1] A bill issued at Chattogram without that clause is not thereby freed from the Rules; the statute applies regardless of what the form says.

What the Rules give the cargo owner

The Hague Rules apply only to contracts of carriage covered by a bill of lading or similar document of title, and they cover the period from loading to discharge. On demand of the shipper, the carrier must issue a bill showing marks, number or quantity, and apparent order and condition, and that bill is prima facie evidence of receipt of the goods as described. Once the goods are loaded, the shipper may demand a "shipped" bill.[1] Article III rule 8 renders void any clause relieving the carrier of liability for negligence or fault in its duties, or lessening that liability otherwise than as the Rules provide.[1]

What the Rules give the carrier

In return, the carrier receives a list of defences in Article IV, a package limitation of £100 per package or unit unless the nature and value of the goods were declared and inserted in the bill, and a one-year time bar. Article VII leaves the carrier free to agree terms for the periods before loading and after discharge.[1] That gap matters in Bangladesh, because a great deal of loss and misdelivery happens in port yards and inland depots after discharge, where the bill's own terms and the general law, not the Hague Rules, govern.

Inbound cargo

The 1925 Act does not apply of its own force to goods shipped to Bangladesh from foreign ports.[1] On imports, the paramount clause in the bill decides which regime applies, and many carriers incorporate the Hague-Visby Rules or the law of the load port. The first task in any inbound bill of lading dispute Bangladesh importers bring is therefore to read the reverse of the bill, not to assume the 1925 Act governs. Evidence of loss and quantum is covered in our guide to cargo loss and short delivery claims.

House bill of lading disputes: master bills, house bills and who is the carrier

Containerised trade into and out of Bangladesh routinely produces two bills for one container. The ocean carrier issues a master bill to the freight forwarder or its overseas partner as shipper and consignee. The freight forwarder then issues its own house bill to the actual exporter, naming the Bangladeshi importer or its bank as consignee. The house bill is the document that moves through the banking chain; the master bill often never leaves the forwarders' network.

Why the structure creates disputes

The cargo owner holds a house bill but has no contract with the ocean carrier, which delivers against the master bill to the forwarder's agent. If the forwarder's agent then releases the goods without the house bill, or the forwarder becomes insolvent, the cargo owner's claim lies first against the party that issued the house bill. Whether that party is liable as a carrier, or only as an agent, decides the whole claim. This is the core of most house bill disputes we see, and the first question in any bill of lading dispute Bangladesh importers raise against a forwarder.

Carrier or agent: reading the house bill

The answer comes from the document and the conduct around it. A freight forwarder that issues a bill in its own name, on its own terms, signs it "as carrier" and quotes a freight rate to the shipper will normally be treated as the contracting carrier, whatever its trade name suggests. A forwarder that signs "as agent for" a named carrier, and simply books space at cost plus commission, is an agent.

Bangladeshi law starts from the agency rule: in the absence of contract, an agent cannot personally enforce, and is not personally bound by, contracts made on behalf of a principal, but that contract is presumed where the agent does not disclose the principal, where the principal is a merchant resident abroad, or where the disclosed principal cannot be sued.[5]

The presumption matters in practice. A Dhaka forwarder that issues a house bill for an overseas principal it never names, or whose principal is beyond the reach of a Bangladesh court, may find itself personally liable on the contract even if it intended to act only as agent.[5]

House bills under letters of credit

UCP 600 does not ban forwarders' bills. Article 14(l) allows a transport document to be issued by any party other than a carrier, owner, master or charterer, provided it meets the transport-document articles, and Article 20 requires a bill to name the carrier and be signed by the carrier, the master or a named agent for either, with the capacity of each signature identified.[7]

A house bill that names the forwarder as carrier and is signed in that capacity can therefore be a compliant bill. A credit can exclude house bills expressly, and importers who want a direct claim against the ocean carrier should say so in the LC application. For examination disputes, see our guide to LC disputes in Bangladesh.

The parties involved in a typical house bill shipment, and their roles, are summarised below.

Freight forwarder dispute Bangladesh: liability and licensing

A freight forwarder dispute in Bangladesh usually involves one of four complaints: cargo lost or damaged in the forwarder's care; goods released to the wrong party; document errors causing an LC discrepancy, customs penalty or demurrage; or the forwarder's own claim for unpaid freight and local charges. The legal basis differs with each.

Liability as carrier

Where the freight forwarder contracted as carrier under its house bill, it answers for the whole carriage on the terms of that bill, and for outbound shipments those terms are subject to the Hague Rules.[1] Forwarders' standard house bill terms often contain shorter time bars, lower limits or broad agency clauses. Where the Rules apply compulsorily, any clause that lessens the carrier's liability below the Rules is void under Article III rule 8, which can defeat a contractual time bar shorter than one year.[1]

Liability as agent

Where the forwarder acted as agent, its liability is for its own default, not for the carrier's. Section 212 of the Contract Act requires an agent to act with the skill generally possessed by persons in the same business and with reasonable diligence, and to compensate its principal for the direct consequences of its own neglect, want of skill or misconduct, but not for remote loss.[5] Booking the wrong vessel, misdescribing goods, failing to follow written release instructions or presenting a defective document are classic examples.

The licensing position in 2026

Freight forwarders in Bangladesh operate under licences governed by the Freight Forwarders Rules 2008. Those rules originally allowed wholly foreign-owned forwarders, a 2015 amendment capped foreign ownership, and draft Freight Forwarders Rules 2025 would replace the 2008 framework and deem existing licensees licensed under the new rules. In a letter of 30 June 2026 to the National Board of Revenue, the Danish Embassy sought confirmation of renewal terms for wholly foreign-owned forwarders, and as at July 2026 the draft had not been finalised.[9] Bangladesh Bank's import rules allow banks to pay freight on FOB imports to "eligible licensed freight forwarders", and its freight endorsement certificate refers to the house bill number alongside the master bill.[8]

Shipping agents, who represent ocean carriers locally and issue delivery orders, are now licensed separately under the Shipping Agent Licensing Rules 2025. Those rules replaced coverage under the Customs Agent Licensing Rules 2020, made a licence from one customs station valid at any port and require licences to be issued within 30 working days where documents are in order.[10] A licensed local entity is a defendant that can be served and pursued, which matters to any claimant.

Delivery without original bill of lading in Bangladesh

Delivery without original bill of lading in Bangladesh is the single most common source of high-value bill of lading claims. The pressure is familiar: the ship reaches Chattogram before the documents reach the importer's bank, port rent starts to run, and the receiver asks the line to release now. The legal position is clear. The original bill is the key to the cargo, and a carrier that hands over the goods without it does so at its own risk.

Why the original bill matters

An order bill can be negotiated while the goods are at sea, so the person demanding delivery at destination may not be the person entitled to them. The Bills of Lading Act 1856 vests rights of suit in the consignee and in the endorsee to whom property passes.[2] If the carrier releases to the notify party, or to an importer holding only a copy, and the unpaid shipper or the bank holds the original bill, the holder can sue the carrier for misdelivery. Protection and indemnity clubs warn that a released original can still be traded and that delivery to the wrong party nearly always prejudices the shipowner's club cover.[13]

Letters of indemnity

The industry answer is the letter of indemnity, or LOI. The International Group of P&I Clubs publishes standard forms: Form A for delivery without production of the bill, Form B for delivery at a different port, Form C for both, and Forms AA, BB and CC in which a bank joins the indemnity.[13] An LOI does not release the carrier from liability to the true holder. It only gives the carrier a contractual right to be indemnified by the party who signed it, and it is worth no more than that party's solvency. Club guidance is to verify the signatory's authority and creditworthiness, consider enforceability where the indemnifier is based, and require countersignature by a first-class bank where in doubt.[13]

Shipping guarantees from Bangladeshi banks

On LC imports, the bank-backed version of the LOI is the shipping guarantee or delivery order issued against copy documents. Bangladesh Bank requires authorised dealer banks to carry out due diligence before issuing shipping guarantees, airway releases or delivery orders for goods against copy documents received directly by importers, so that no discrepancy can later be raised on the original documents.[8] In practice, a bank that issues a shipping guarantee commits itself to honour the documents when they arrive, because it has already allowed the goods to be released.

Straight bills and sea waybills

A sea waybill is not a document of title, and carriers commonly deliver against it on proof of identity. A straight bill names its consignee and cannot be endorsed, but prudent carriers still require its production. An order bill must always be surrendered, duly endorsed.

Remedies for the holder of the original bill

The holder's claim against the carrier can be framed in contract under the bill, or as a claim for wrongful delivery of the goods. Section 3(2) of the Admiralty Court Act 2000 includes claims for loss of or damage to goods carried in a ship and claims arising out of any agreement relating to the carriage of goods in a ship, so a misdelivery claim against the ocean carrier can be brought in the Admiralty Court.[3]

Where the person liable in personam owned the ship when the claim arose and beneficially owns it when suit is filed, section 4(4) allows an action in rem and arrest of that ship or a sister ship in the same beneficial ownership.[3] Arrest procedure is covered in our guide to admiralty suits in Bangladesh.

A forwarder that issued only a house bill is not a shipowner, so a claim against it is usually in personam only. If its overseas agent released the goods, the claimant needs to follow the chain: the master bill shows to whom the ocean carrier delivered, and the house bill shows whose release instructions were broken.

The export-side risk

On exports, the risk runs the other way. Where an overseas buyer nominates the forwarder, the Bangladeshi exporter may receive a house bill while the master bill names the buyer's own agent as consignee. If that agent releases the goods at destination before the buyer pays, the exporter holds an original house bill with a claim against a forwarder whose principal is abroad. Exporters should insist on a known forwarder, check that the house bill names a carrier with assets, and avoid master bills consigned directly to the buyer's agents.

Banks and LC-backed bills under UCP 600

Import LCs in Bangladesh commonly call for a full set of clean on-board bills made out to the order of the issuing bank. That structure gives the bank control of the cargo until the importer pays or arranges a facility, at which point the bank endorses the bills for release. A bill of lading dispute Bangladesh banks face therefore arises in two situations: when the bank refuses documents and the cargo is already gone, and when the bank pays and later finds that the goods were delivered to someone else.

What the bank checks

Under UCP 600, a bill presented under a credit must name the carrier and be signed by the carrier, the master or a named agent for either; must show shipment on board a named vessel at the stated port of loading; must be the full set of originals as indicated on the bill; and must be clean, meaning it bears no clause expressly declaring a defective condition of the goods or packaging.[7] The contents of the carrier's terms and conditions are not examined. Presentation of documents including an original transport document must be made no later than 21 calendar days after shipment, and in any event within the expiry date of the credit.[7]

The bank's rights against the carrier

When a bank holds an order bill and the carrier releases the goods without it, the bank has suffered the same wrong as any other holder. Its position under the Bills of Lading Act 1856 depends on whether property in the goods passed to it by the endorsement.[2]

A bank that holds the bill only as security, as most LC banks do, should therefore frame its claim carefully, relying on its right to possession under the pledge and on the carrier's duty to deliver only against the original bill, rather than assuming it has stepped into the shipper's contract.

Electronic bills of lading

Bangladesh Bank's consolidated import circular of 13 August 2026 includes a pilot framework, first introduced on 1 July 2026, for digital processing of trade documents under collections and LCs through approved trade corridors. It covers electronic transport documents, including electronic bills of lading, and requires electronic transferable records to preserve singularity, control and integrity.[8] A controlled electronic bill removes the late-documents problem behind most releases without originals, but paper remains the rule for now, and the circular itself preserves physical documents where legal enforceability depends on originals.[8]

Time bars in a bill of lading dispute

Time bars decide more cargo claims than the merits do, and in a bill of lading dispute Bangladesh courts apply them strictly. Three layers can apply to the same claim, and the shortest one usually controls.

The Hague Rules year

Where the Hague Rules apply, the carrier and the ship are discharged from all liability for loss or damage unless suit is brought within one year after delivery of the goods or the date when they should have been delivered. Written notice of loss must be given at the port of discharge before or at the time of removal of the goods, or within three days if the loss is not apparent; without notice, removal of the goods is prima facie evidence that they were delivered as described in the bill.[1] Negotiations with a carrier, its agent or its P&I club do not stop the year running unless an extension is agreed in writing.

The Limitation Act 1908

Where the Hague Rules do not apply, the First Schedule to the Limitation Act 1908 sets the period by reference to the nature of the claim. A suit against a carrier for compensation for losing or injuring goods must be brought within one year from when the loss or injury occurs, and a suit against a carrier for non-delivery or delay within one year from when the goods ought to have been delivered.[4]

A claim against a forwarder for breach of contract as agent carries three years under Article 115, a non-contractual claim for misfeasance two years under Article 36, and a claim for wrongful taking or detention of goods three years under Articles 48 and 49.[4] Characterising the claim correctly before the plaint is drafted is therefore essential.

Contractual time bars

House bills and forwarders' standard trading conditions often set periods of nine months or less. Where the Hague Rules apply compulsorily, a shorter bar is open to attack under Article III rule 8.[1] Where they do not, for example on inbound carriage or for losses after discharge, a contractual time bar may be enforceable, so a cargo owner should never assume it has a full year.

Jurisdiction clauses and the Admiralty Court Act 2000

Section 3(1) of the Admiralty Court Act 2000 makes the High Court Division the Admiralty Court, and section 3(2) gives it jurisdiction over claims for loss of or damage to goods carried in a ship and claims arising from agreements for the carriage of goods in a ship or the use or hire of a ship.[3] That jurisdiction is wide, but it is not the end of the analysis, because most bills of lading contain a clause sending disputes to a foreign court or to arbitration abroad.

Foreign jurisdiction clauses

Section 28 of the Contract Act voids agreements in restraint of legal proceedings, with savings for arbitration agreements.[5] Courts in Dhaka have long read that provision narrowly. In Abdul Razzak v The East Asiatic Co Ltd, 5 DLR 224 (1953), a consignee sued in Chittagong over non-delivery under a bill choosing Danish law and Danish courts; the plaint was returned for presentation in Denmark, on the basis that section 28 voids only agreements that absolutely restrict a party from enforcing its rights, not a choice between competent courts.[14]

In Bangladesh Air Service (Pvt) Ltd v British Airways PLC, 49 DLR (AD) 187 (1997), the Appellate Division said foreign jurisdiction clauses should no longer be treated as derogatory to national sovereignty and should be given effect.[14]

The practical result is that a clause in a carrier's bill selecting a foreign court is likely to be respected, but not automatically. A Bangladeshi court retains discretion, and arguments based on where the evidence is, whether the foreign claim is already time-barred and whether the clause binds a consignee who never agreed to it can still succeed. A carrier relying on its clause should raise it at the outset, not after defending on the merits.

Arbitration clauses

Charterparty bills often incorporate a London or Singapore arbitration clause, which can move a bill of lading dispute Bangladesh cargo interests would prefer to run in Dhaka to a tribunal abroad. Whether that clause binds the holder of the bill, and how a Bangladeshi court treats a suit filed in breach of it, are covered in our guide to maritime arbitration in Bangladesh. Charterparty freight disputes between owners and charterers are covered separately in our guide to freight and charterparty claims.

Admiralty Court or Commercial Court?

The Commercial Courts Act 2026 lists carriage of goods, and the enforcement and interpretation of mercantile documents, among its categories of commercial dispute, but excludes matters within the original jurisdiction of the High Court Division.[6] A cargo claim brought in the Admiralty Court, particularly one needing arrest, stays there. An in personam claim against a Bangladeshi freight forwarder over a house bill, release instructions or documentary errors will often be better suited to a commercial court, with its specialist judges and fixed timetable. Where the boundary is unclear, the choice should be made deliberately. The Act is explained in our guide to the Commercial Courts Act, and admiralty procedure in our guide to the Admiralty Court Act.

The table below compares the most common disputes. On a phone, scroll it sideways.

Chattogram Port practice and the release of cargo

Most bill of lading problems in Bangladesh become visible at Chattogram, where the release chain runs through the shipping agent, the freight forwarder, the C&F agent, Customs and the Port Authority. Understanding that chain is the quickest way to find out who released the goods and on what document, and the port's records are often the decisive evidence in a bill of lading dispute Bangladesh claimants bring.

The Port Authority as custodian

Under sections 8 and 130 of the Customs Act 2023, as reported in July 2026, the Chittagong Port Authority is the legal custodian of imported cargo in the port, responsible for its safekeeping until lawful delivery.[11] The same reporting described a dispute between Customs and the Port Authority over some 250 high-risk containers that Customs could not locate, with the Port Authority attributing much of the gap to incorrect container numbers and incomplete bill of lading data.[11] Accurate data on the bill and manifest is therefore not a formality: it is what the port relies on to identify the cargo.

The electronic delivery order

Since 1 April 2022 the Chittagong Port Authority has required all shipping companies to use the electronic delivery order system. After the goods land, the C&F agent applies through the Port Community System; the shipping agent collects its charges and freight forwarders upload theirs; and once the line issues the delivery order it is sent automatically to the port, the forwarder and the C&F agent.[12] For a misdelivery claim, the system's records show who requested the delivery order, when, and through which agent, which is often the best evidence of whether an original bill was surrendered.

Where things go wrong

Three problems recur: duplicated delivery order charges levied by both the line's agent and the forwarder; release on a copy bill against a promise to surrender the original later, which fails when the bank refuses the documents; and cargo left unclaimed while documents are disputed, accruing port rent and risking auction. Customs at Chattogram regularly auctions uncleared containers, with special e-auctions held in July 2026.[11] Port rent and detention exposure are analysed in our guide to demurrage and detention claims.

How to resolve a bill of lading dispute Bangladesh step by step

The order of work matters, because evidence disappears and time runs from delivery, not from the date the problem is noticed. The sequence below reflects how TRW approaches a bill of lading dispute Bangladesh clients bring, whether they are claimants or defendants.

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Bill of lading dispute Bangladesh: mistakes to avoid

• Suing the wrong carrier: holders of a house bill often sue the ocean carrier, with which they have no contract, and miss the forwarder that issued the bill as carrier.
• Assuming the Hague Rules apply to imports: the 1925 Act governs outbound carriage; inbound claims depend on the bill's paramount clause and law.[1]
• Releasing against an unsecured LOI: an indemnity from a thinly capitalised receiver offers no real protection and can prejudice P&I cover.[13]
• Letting the year run: negotiations do not stop the Hague Rules or Limitation Act clock; only a written extension or a filed suit does.[4]
• Ignoring the jurisdiction clause: filing in Dhaka without a reasoned answer to a foreign jurisdiction clause invites a return of the plaint and a lost year.[14]
• Losing the original: the original bill is the claimant's title and the carrier's best defence; it should never travel in a courier envelope unrecorded.

What to watch in 2026 and beyond

Four developments will shape bill of lading practice over the next year. First, the final form of the Freight Forwarders Rules 2025, which will settle ownership and renewal conditions.[9] Second, the first decisions of the commercial courts on carriage-of-goods disputes, and how they draw the line with the Admiralty Court.[6] Third, the Bangladesh Bank pilot for electronic trade documents, which could reduce releases without originals on approved corridors.[8] Fourth, continuing pressure at Chattogram over uncleared and misidentified containers.[11]

When a bill of lading problem appears, the first week decides the outcome: who holds the originals, what the delivery-order records show and which time bar applies. For a clear view of your position, contact TRW.

Frequently asked questions

What law governs bills of lading in Bangladesh?

The Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1925 applies the Hague Rules to carriage from Bangladeshi ports, and the Bills of Lading Act 1856 transfers rights of suit to consignees and endorsees. The Contract Act 1872 supplies the general law, and the Admiralty Court Act 2000 gives the High Court Division jurisdiction over cargo and carriage claims.[1] [2] [3]

What is the difference between a master bill and a house bill of lading?

A master bill is issued by the ocean carrier, usually to a freight forwarder. A house bill is issued by the forwarder to the actual shipper. The cargo owner's contract is normally under the house bill, so its first claim is against the forwarder that issued it.

Is a freight forwarder liable for cargo loss in Bangladesh?

It depends on its role. A forwarder that issued a house bill as carrier is liable on that bill, subject to the Hague Rules on outbound shipments. A forwarder acting as agent is liable for its own lack of skill or diligence under section 212 of the Contract Act.[1] [5]

Can a carrier deliver cargo without the original bill of lading?

It can, but at its own risk. If the holder of the original bill was entitled to the goods, the carrier is exposed to a misdelivery claim, and P&I club cover is normally prejudiced.[13]

What does a letter of indemnity do?

It gives the carrier a right to be indemnified by the party requesting release. It does not discharge the carrier's liability to the true holder. International Group standard forms A, AA, B, BB, C and CC are widely used.[13]

How long do I have to bring a bill of lading claim?

Generally one year. The Hague Rules bar applies one year after delivery or the date when the goods should have been delivered, and the Limitation Act gives one year against a carrier for loss, injury or non-delivery. Claims against forwarders as agents can carry longer periods.[1] [4]

Can a bank sue the carrier if goods were released without its bill?

Yes, a bank holding the original order bill can claim against a carrier that delivered without it. How the claim is framed depends on whether property passed to the bank or it held the bill only as security.[2]

Does a foreign jurisdiction clause stop a suit in Bangladesh?

Often, but not automatically. Bangladeshi courts have treated a choice of a competent foreign court as valid under section 28 of the Contract Act, and the Appellate Division has said such clauses should be given effect, but the court retains discretion.[14]

Which court hears a bill of lading dispute in Bangladesh?

Cargo and carriage claims, and any claim needing ship arrest, go to the High Court Division as Admiralty Court. Carriage of goods is also a commercial dispute under the Commercial Courts Act 2026, outside matters within the High Court Division's original jurisdiction.[3] [6]

How are delivery orders issued at Chattogram Port?

Electronically. Since April 2022 the C&F agent applies through the Port Community System, the shipping agent and forwarder post their charges, and the issued delivery order goes automatically to the port, forwarder and C&F agent.[12]