Most companies start with incorporation at the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms, then a trade licence from the local authority where the office is located, a tax identification number and VAT registration with the National Board of Revenue, and a corporate bank account. From there, the list depends on the activity. Importers and exporters need registration certificates before their first shipment, manufacturers need factory, fire and environmental approvals, and regulated sectors need their own licences. We prepare a business licensing map for each client, because generic checklists often miss permits. We also flag which permits come first.

The core steps are similar, but foreign ownership brings additional ones. Inward share capital must come through banking channels and be reported so that later dividends and capital can be repatriated. Registration with Invest Bangladesh, which took over the investment promotion and registration functions of the former BIDA from 23 August 2026, is commonly needed for work permits and certain incentives. Some sectors also limit or condition foreign shareholding. We review business licensing and structure together, because a choice made at incorporation is costly to unwind later. Branch and liaison offices follow a separate approval route with their own limits.

There is no single answer, and we do not promise timetables the authorities will not commit to. Incorporation and a trade licence can often be completed in a few weeks when documents are ready, but site-based clearances depend on inspections and building approvals, and sector licences can take considerably longer, especially where policy is under review. The most common delays come from incomplete documents, inconsistent addresses, missing board resolutions or attestation of foreign papers. We reduce delay by preparing a full document pack, filing in parallel where the rules allow, and following up methodically with each office.

Sometimes, but it needs care. Some preparatory activities, such as hiring staff, signing leases or setting up systems, can usually proceed while business licensing is under way. Trading, importing, manufacturing or providing a regulated service before the relevant permission is granted can expose the company and its officers to fines, seizure of goods, sealing of premises or a refusal of the licence itself. Banks and customs may also refuse to process transactions. We set out clearly which activities can start, which must wait and what evidence of a pending application, if any, an authority will accept as sufficient.

Often yes. Trade licences are issued by the local authority with jurisdiction over the premises, so a company with an office in Dhaka, a warehouse in Gazipur and a showroom in Chattogram may need separate licences from each relevant city corporation, municipality or union parishad. Fees and signboard charges also vary by location and category of business. Factories and warehouses may also need their own fire and environmental clearances. We review the operating footprint and prepare a location-by-location business licensing schedule, which also helps when banks or auditors ask for evidence that every site is properly authorised.

Regularisation is often possible, but the consequences depend on the permit and how long the gap has lasted. A late trade licence renewal usually attracts surcharges, while operating a regulated activity without a licence can trigger penalties, criminal exposure or closure. We first establish the facts, then advise on whether to apply for renewal, a fresh licence or a formal regularisation, and how to approach the authority. Where a sale, financing or investment is planned, we also advise on how the business licensing gap should be disclosed and whether warranties, indemnities or conditions precedent are needed to protect the parties.

Many licences are personal to the holder and do not pass automatically with assets or on a merger. In a share purchase, the licences usually stay with the company, but a change of control may need prior approval or notification to the regulator. In an asset purchase or a group restructuring, the buyer may need fresh licences or a formal transfer. We review the target's business licensing position during due diligence and build any required approvals into the transaction timetable, so that completion does not leave the business operating without valid permissions. Larger deals may also need competition clearance.

Yes, in most cases. The first step is usually to request reasons and respond in writing, correcting factual errors or supplying missing documents. Some statutes provide an internal review or appeal to a higher authority, with short time limits that must be checked for the specific licence. Where an authority acts without legal basis, ignores relevant material or treats an applicant unfairly, a writ petition in the High Court Division may be available. Our dispute resolution team handles these challenges, and we consider whether a negotiated fix to the business licensing problem would be faster and cheaper than litigation.