Duty-Free, Gold & Cash Rules
সীমার মধ্যে সোনা, নিয়মের মধ্যে টাকা
What you may carry into Bangladesh without duty, how much gold and silver the baggage rules allow, when cash must be declared, and which items are restricted or confiscated at the airport.
Gold and silver: the numbers that matter
Personal ornaments up to 100 grams (about 8.57 tola) pass duty-free within your baggage quota under the NBR 2025–26 circulars. Gold bars up to the 117-gram (10-tola) bar pay a fixed duty of about ৳4,000 per 11.664 grams — roughly ৳40,000 for a full bar. Carrying bars beyond the 10-tola size risks confiscation, so never pack more than one bar.
Ornaments mean worn or in-hand jewellery, not bullion disguised as bangles. Officers assess intent, so keep jewellery in your hand luggage with receipts, and let family members carry their own declared share.
Cash: declare above USD 5,000
Foreign currency above the USD 5,000-equivalent per person must be declared at the red channel on arrival. There is no tax on declared money you bring in — the form simply records the flow. Taking large amounts of taka out of Bangladesh is the more restricted direction, which is why most probashi convert and remit through banks instead of carrying cash.
Large remittances earn the 2.5% government incentive when they arrive through formal channels — carrying the same money as cash forfeits the bonus and adds airport risk. Use the remittance tools on this portal to plan the split: cash for day one, formal transfer for everything else.
Gifts, electronics and restricted items
Your own used clothes, phone, laptop and daily items come in duty-free as personal effects. New items beyond personal use — a second TV, appliances, phones for relatives — are assessed at the green-red channel: declare them and pay the assessed duty, or use the Customs & Luggage Duty Calculator beforehand to budget.
Some items are restricted outright: satellite phones require special clearance, drones need CAAB permission, plants and agricultural products need phyto certificates, and wildlife products fall under CITES. Fresh meat, eggs and some dairy are typically barred from passenger baggage.
Frequently asked questions
Do children get their own gold and cash limits?
Yes — limits apply per passenger, so a family of four can lawfully split ornaments and declared cash across members. Each person must actually carry their own share and be able to answer for it.
Is a wedding gift for relatives duty-free?
Gifts within your baggage quota are treated like any other new goods: small items pass, valuables like electronics or large quantities get assessed. Keep the price tags modest and the receipts handy.
What happens if I do not declare?
Under-declaration discovered at X-ray turns into seizure, penalty and sometimes prosecution. The assessment itself is routine — pay the duty and move on. Concealment is the offence, not the shopping.