
Passengers to be allowed to bring one new mobile phone without duty
Staff Correspondent
All passengers will be allowed to bring one new mobile phone in a year without paying any duty as the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has issued new baggage rules .
Besides, expatriate Bangladeshis who hold BMET cards issued by the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) and have stayed abroad for at least six months can bring two new mobile phones per year duty-free, the NBR said in a press release.
To make the existing baggage system more effective and passenger-friendly, the NBR issued the updated "Unaccompanied Passenger Baggage Rules, 2025" which comes into effect on Wednesday.
Beside, passengers can now bring up to 100 grams of gold ornaments or 2,000 grams of silver ornaments in a year—either at once or in multiple trips—without paying any duty.
The new rules also allow passengers to bring a gold bar weighing 10 tolas once a year by paying a duty of Tk 5,000 per tola.
Following consultations with stakeholders and field-level offices, the NBR later amended several provisions, including an increase in baggage allowances for expatriate Bangladeshis, through an SRO (Statutory Regulatory Order).
The updated rules also introduce an online system for submitting baggage declaration forms for all incoming passengers.
To prevent misuse of the baggage facility, it has been made mandatory to submit the baggage declaration form before leaving the customs hall or customs area. said the press release.