List of Best Hotels in Bangladesh
How much luggage can I carry in Bangladesh | Cabin Baggage Rules
Baggage rules for Air Travelers are always strict no matter wherever you are going to fly. Baggage Rules for Air Travelers of Bangladesh are no exception at all. Baggage rules are all about the allowances and prohibitions of the baggage and weights that a passenger may carry with him while he/she is traveling by air routes. Air travels are a lot more sensitive than any other form of travel. So the tightest security measures are taken in almost all airports. Also, the weight limit of an aircraft must be strictly maintained for mechanical reasons, which can be relaxed in any other form of travel. Due to these reasons, baggage rule is a major thing to be considered while planning any tour.
Each country has a different set of rules. So any visitor must be aware of the rules of the destination airport. Otherwise, it may result in some unwanted issues. Usually, the airport officials never compromise with the baggage rules. So unless you are clearly aware of the rules, it may result in the loss of your valuable goods.
Today in this article we will talk about the baggage rules for air travelers in Bangladesh. In 2017, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) edited the previous rules & introduced some new rules to the Baggage Rules for Air Travelers of Bangladesh. These baggage rules will be applicable for all the incoming passengers to Bangladesh except passengers under Tourist Baggage (Import) Rules, 1981 & Privileged Persons (Customs Procedures) Rules, 2003.
Baggage Rules of Bangladesh
In these rules, the word "Passenger" refers to each and every people who are coming from outside of Bangladesh. The word "luggage" refers to the amount of food, dresses, different types of goods, personal stuff, and all that.
Here are all the rules briefly described. These rules are known as Baggage Rules for Air Travelers of Bangladesh.
Baggage Rules for Domestic Flights in Bangladesh
For domestic flights in Bangladesh, an Economy class passenger will be able to carry 20 KG of checked luggage along with 7 KG of cabin baggage. A business class passenger can carry 30 KG checked luggage along with 7 KG cabin luggage. For any extra luggage beyond this limit, additional charges will be applicable.
Baggage Rules for International Flights of Bangladesh
If the passenger is 12+ years old and his/her luggage including handbags, cabin bags or any other bags doesn't exceed 65 kilograms, then they will be considered TAX-free. That means any passenger can carry weights up to 65 kilograms and he/she will not have to pay any extra tax for this. Also, another 35 kilograms of dresses, personal stuff, books, and study materials can be carried without taxes.
If the passenger is younger than 12 years then he/she will be able to carry up to 40 Kilograms of luggage with them and no extra tax will be applicable. Passengers under 12 years will enjoy only this advantage and nothing more.
Baggage Rules for unaccompanied baggage
Besides Cabin luggage & cargo luggage, passengers can also carry another type of luggage that will not be carried on the same flights the passenger is flying, but they will be carried in special airplanes dedicated to carrying cargo. This is considered cost-effective. For this type of baggage, the passenger should fill up a form which will be available to the officials. By filling up the form appropriately and providing a declaration about the goods, one can clear this luggage without any extra tax. It is necessary that the passenger must submit a copy of the declaration to the customs officer during baggage clearance.
Mobile Phones: A passenger is allowed to carry at most 2 mobile phones with him/her which will be considered as personal stuff and therefore free from any kind of taxes. If the passenger wants to bring more than this then extra tax will be applied. The tax will be 35% of the mobile phone's market price. In this way, 3-5 phones can be carried without issues. But when the number goes more than that, it will be confiscated by the customs. If such a thing happens then do not forget to get the detention memo from the customs, which will act as proof that your products are seized by customs. You may get the seized phone back by following the adjunction process at the BTRC headquarter. In that, you will have to pay all the taxes and some extra fees as fines.
Cigarettes: A passenger will be able to carry 1 carton of cigarettes (200 sticks) tax-free. If the quantity is more than this, then those will be confiscated by the customs. By the rules, confiscated cigarettes will be destroyed or sold elsewhere. So there is no chance of getting them back.
Wine, Beer, or any kind of Hard Drinks: Hard drinks is totally prohibited for any Bangladeshi passport holder. No matter how small the quantity, it will be seized by the customs. If the passenger is a foreign passport holder, then he/she will be permitted to bring a maximum of 2 bottles or 1 Liter of hard drinks with them. Crossing this limit will result in confiscation by the customs. By the rules, confiscated hard drinks will be destroyed or sold elsewhere. So there is no chance of getting them back.
Laptops: A passenger will be able to bring 1 laptop legally and without taxes. If he/she wants to bring 2 pieces of the laptop then a 20% tax will be charged. If the quantity crosses 2 then they will be confiscated by the customs. You may get the seized phone back by following the adjunction process at the CCI&E headquarter. In that, you will have to pay all the taxes and some extra fees as fines. Also please collect the detention memo when your items are seized. You will need them to start the adjunction process.
Computer Monitor: A passenger can enjoy tax-free service while bringing 1 monitor which is up to 19 inches. For 20-22 inches 50% tax will be applicable. If the monitor size is more than 23 inches, then 70% of taxes will be applicable.
Television: A passenger will be able to bring 1 television tax-free if the size is 21 inches or less. For more inches, a certain amount should be paid as a tax:
22-29 inch - 5000 BDT
30-36 inch - 10,000 BDT
37-42 inch - 20,000 BDT
43-46 inch - 30,000 BDT
47-52 inch - 50,000 BDT
53-65 inch - 70,000 BDT
66+ inch - 90,000 BDT
Gold: A passenger is allowed to carry gold (bars) by paying a tax of 3,000 BDT for every 11.67 grams. In this way, the passenger is allowed to carry a maximum of 234 grams. If the weight exceeds that, it will be seized by the customs. You may get the seized gold back by following the adjunction process at the CCI&E headquarter. In that, you will have to pay all the taxes and some extra fees as fines. The customs can file a case against the owner if black marketing is suspected.
New Dresses, other clothes, and cosmetics: Passengers will be able to carry some of them as their personal stuff. When the quantity goes beyond the personal level, a few more are allowed to carry by paying 160% taxes. But anything more than that will be seized by the custom. They can be retrieved from the CCI&E headquarters by paying additional taxes and fines. The owner must provide the detention memo for this.
Medicines: Due to urgent needs, one may carry some medicines with them only for personal usage. But if the quantity seems enough for commercial usage, then they might be seized. Seized medicines may be recovered through an adjunction process at the DGDA headquarter by applying with a detention memo. Tax and additional fines will be applicable.
Foreign Currency: While departing Bangladesh, passengers are not allowed to carry foreign currency except passport endorsement (Approved by Bangladesh Bank). But they can take BDT 5,000 without endorsements. Usually, with each travel, a passenger can endorse up to $5000.00 USD. Any sort of foreign currency without endorsement will be seized by the customs. The case may be filed if money laundering is suspected.
When coming back to Bangladesh, a passenger can bring as much foreign currency as they want. But if that amount exceeds $5,000.00 USD then the owner must fill up the FMJ form which is available at the customs.
Other Information: Any passenger will be able to bring all the equipment related to his profession and all will be tax-free. Ain case of disabilities, all the instruments like wheelchairs, and crutch will be totally tax-free. If any Bangladeshi citizen dies while abroad, all his baggage, no matter what they contain, will get tax exemptions.
There is also luggage which is needed to be cleared after paying due taxes. If the luggage owner doesn't have the money with him/her, the customer will keep the goods. If the due tax is paid within 21 days, then the seized goods will be retrieved without any issues.
Baggage Rules for Tourists who are visiting Bangladesh
According to Bangladesh Tourism Board, Tourist Baggage (Import) Rules -1981 shall apply to visitors staying in the country for more than 24 hours but not for more than 06(six) months on the condition that the visitors shall not intend to reside in the country nor shall get remunerated from within it and in that event she/he shall be allowed to import the following items without duty or tax- Baggage allowances are as per below:
- Personal imitation jewelry of value not exceeding BDT 3,000.00;
- One in-use wristwatch.
- One cigarette lighter, two fountain pens, one penknife, or an instrument of similar use that can be carried in a pocket or on the person.
- One electric iron, a portable electric plate, a hair drier, and an electric shaver.
- Not more than 1 still camera.
- One movie camera.
- One cinematographic camera and a projector.
- Pair of binoculars.
- One portable sound recording machine.
- 1 portable music system.
- One portable typewriter.
- One wheel/invalid chair in use.
- No more than one perambulator or go-cart.
- Fire arms or shooting and other sports accessories.
- Metal objects trophies, medallions, crests, etc.
- Clothing for personal use.
- Handbags and goods are essential for traveling.
- Other personal wearing apparel, makeup, and cosmetics.
- Spectacles, physical aid, and travel clock.
- Five photographic films and 10 film plates.
- Reasonable quantity of film for movie camera.
- Two rolls of film for the cinematographic camera.
- Reasonable quantity of toys for use of accompanying children.
- 200 sticks of cigarette or 50 cigars or half lb. of tobacco or less than half lb. of handmade cigarettes.
- Not more than one-third gallon of alcoholic beverages.
- Half lb. of perfume and toiletries.
- Not more than BDT 100 of confectionery and non-alcoholic beverages.
The exemption is made with the understanding that a tourist shall re-export items 1-15 listed above. In addition, he/she may import a non-professional video camera and/or microcomputer with less than 1-megabyte initial random access memory and C&F value not exceeding BDT 100,000 provided the intention to re-export the said computer and/or video camera is endorsed in the passport and also a written declaration of such intentions is made to the Commissioner of Customs.
Foreign Currency Regulations for Tourists
A tourist may bring in any amount of foreign exchange in the form of a Traveler's cheque, foreign currency notes, or other foreign currency instruments provided he/she fills up a Declaration in Form FMJ obtainable from the customs at the port of entry. However, no declaration is required for bringing in foreign exchange up to US$ 5,000.00 by foreign tourists. While leaving Bangladesh a tourist can take out the unspent balance of the foreign currency brought in.
Airport Embarkation Fee
All taxes including the Airport embarkation fees are payable with the price of the ticket.
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