Bangladesh customs
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Free import
• Tourists (foreign visitors staying more than 24 hours and up to 6 months who do not work in Bangladesh) may bring in duty free: personal effects such as clothing, toiletries, a watch, a camera, a video camera, a laptop and binoculars; personal jewellery in use worth up to BDT 3,000; 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 225 g (1/2 lb) of tobacco; 2 bottles of alcoholic drinks of up to 2 L in total; and perfume or toilet water up to 1/2 pint (about 280 ml). Valuables such as cameras and jewellery must be taken out again when you leave.
• Other passengers aged 12 or older, including foreign residents and returning Bangladeshis, may bring in up to 65 kg of accompanied baggage duty free, plus up to 35 kg of clothing, personal items, books and study materials. Children under 12 may bring up to 40 kg.
• For passengers aged 12 or older (other than tourists): 1 carton (200) of cigarettes.
• For foreign passport holders: up to 1 L of alcoholic drinks (spirits, beer, etc.). Bangladeshi passport holders may not bring in any alcohol.
• One of each item on the official duty-free list, for example a laptop or desktop computer, a printer, a scanner, a non-professional camera or video camera, small kitchen appliances, a TV up to 29 inches and sports equipment for personal use.
• Up to 2 used mobile phones, and 1 new mobile phone once a year.
• Gold jewellery (22 carat or lower) up to 100 g or silver jewellery up to 200 g, declared to customs, once a year and for passengers aged 12 or older. No more than 12 pieces of the same type.
• Portable equipment for your professional use.
• Travelers arriving by land: baggage worth up to USD 400, no more than 3 times per calendar year.
Currency
• There is no limit on the amount of foreign currency you may bring in, but foreign cash and other foreign currency instruments worth more than USD 10,000 (or the equivalent) must be declared to customs on arrival on the FMJ form. Keep your copy of the form: you need it to take unspent foreign currency out again.
• You may bring in up to BDT 10,000 in Bangladeshi taka.
Prohibited
• Illegal drugs, including cannabis (bhang) and poppy seeds
• Firearms and ammunition. An air gun or air rifle may be brought in only with approval from the Ministry of Commerce and on payment of tax.
• Counterfeit coins and banknotes
• Counterfeit, fake-brand and pirated goods
• Obscene or pornographic material in any form, including books, photos, films and digital media
• Books, films, recordings and goods likely to hurt religious feelings
• Maps and globes that do not show the territory of Bangladesh as in the official maps of the Survey of Bangladesh
• Pork, pork products and live pigs
• Wildlife goods imported in breach of the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act 2012
Restricted
• Gold or silver bars: one gold bar of up to 117 g (10 tola) or one silver bar of up to 234 g (20 tola) once a year, only if declared to customs and on payment of duty. Undeclared gold, and gold above this limit, is confiscated, and the passenger may be arrested and prosecuted.
• Cigarettes above 1 carton (200), and e-cigarettes (vapes) or liquid nicotine above this limit, are seized.
• Goods in commercial quantities are seized. Goods above the duty-free allowances must be declared in the red channel on the baggage declaration form and are released only on payment of duties and taxes.
• Pets (dogs, cats) and other animals need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Directorate of Livestock Services before travel. Send the NOC, the application, a veterinary health certificate, the vaccination record and photos of the animal to the Livestock Quarantine Station at Dhaka airport at least 7 days before travel. On arrival the animal is checked and a quarantine fee is charged.
• Tourists (foreign visitors staying more than 24 hours and up to 6 months who do not work in Bangladesh) may bring in duty free: personal effects such as clothing, toiletries, a watch, a camera, a video camera, a laptop and binoculars; personal jewellery in use worth up to BDT 3,000; 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 225 g (1/2 lb) of tobacco; 2 bottles of alcoholic drinks of up to 2 L in total; and perfume or toilet water up to 1/2 pint (about 280 ml). Valuables such as cameras and jewellery must be taken out again when you leave.
• Other passengers aged 12 or older, including foreign residents and returning Bangladeshis, may bring in up to 65 kg of accompanied baggage duty free, plus up to 35 kg of clothing, personal items, books and study materials. Children under 12 may bring up to 40 kg.
• For passengers aged 12 or older (other than tourists): 1 carton (200) of cigarettes.
• For foreign passport holders: up to 1 L of alcoholic drinks (spirits, beer, etc.). Bangladeshi passport holders may not bring in any alcohol.
• One of each item on the official duty-free list, for example a laptop or desktop computer, a printer, a scanner, a non-professional camera or video camera, small kitchen appliances, a TV up to 29 inches and sports equipment for personal use.
• Up to 2 used mobile phones, and 1 new mobile phone once a year.
• Gold jewellery (22 carat or lower) up to 100 g or silver jewellery up to 200 g, declared to customs, once a year and for passengers aged 12 or older. No more than 12 pieces of the same type.
• Portable equipment for your professional use.
• Travelers arriving by land: baggage worth up to USD 400, no more than 3 times per calendar year.
Currency
• There is no limit on the amount of foreign currency you may bring in, but foreign cash and other foreign currency instruments worth more than USD 10,000 (or the equivalent) must be declared to customs on arrival on the FMJ form. Keep your copy of the form: you need it to take unspent foreign currency out again.
• You may bring in up to BDT 10,000 in Bangladeshi taka.
Prohibited
• Illegal drugs, including cannabis (bhang) and poppy seeds
• Firearms and ammunition. An air gun or air rifle may be brought in only with approval from the Ministry of Commerce and on payment of tax.
• Counterfeit coins and banknotes
• Counterfeit, fake-brand and pirated goods
• Obscene or pornographic material in any form, including books, photos, films and digital media
• Books, films, recordings and goods likely to hurt religious feelings
• Maps and globes that do not show the territory of Bangladesh as in the official maps of the Survey of Bangladesh
• Pork, pork products and live pigs
• Wildlife goods imported in breach of the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act 2012
Restricted
• Gold or silver bars: one gold bar of up to 117 g (10 tola) or one silver bar of up to 234 g (20 tola) once a year, only if declared to customs and on payment of duty. Undeclared gold, and gold above this limit, is confiscated, and the passenger may be arrested and prosecuted.
• Cigarettes above 1 carton (200), and e-cigarettes (vapes) or liquid nicotine above this limit, are seized.
• Goods in commercial quantities are seized. Goods above the duty-free allowances must be declared in the red channel on the baggage declaration form and are released only on payment of duties and taxes.
• Pets (dogs, cats) and other animals need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Directorate of Livestock Services before travel. Send the NOC, the application, a veterinary health certificate, the vaccination record and photos of the animal to the Livestock Quarantine Station at Dhaka airport at least 7 days before travel. On arrival the animal is checked and a quarantine fee is charged.