Bangladesh - gifts
Known regionally as ‘the land of many rivers’, Bangladesh is a luscious tropic in South Asia. Its incredible population density — one of the highest in the world — makes the prospect of sending a parcel there a little daunting for those unfamiliar with the process, especially since so many companies ask a steep price for the privilege.
Our customers often ask us questions about the laws for shipping a parcel or gift to Bangladesh. Some other customers have told us horror stories about their experiences with shipping gifts from overseas into Bangladesh. While many people blame Customs in Bangladesh for the delivery failures, problems and delays with International shipments into Bangladesh are often associated with other issues.
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Package Delivery Issues
Customs does not normally open every parcel; these checks are rather random; however, their frequency increases when the declared gift value is over $100 USD. It is also more likely that your parcel will be opened when it has an unusual appearance: a "secret"-looking package (with a thick layer of poly-foam or multiple, visible layers of tape); a big box with noticeably small contents; gift contents that are shaking or knocking; or parcels with contents which can be interpreted as a powder are likely to catch the eye of a curious Customs agent.
Custom Duties
In most countries, if the gift is over a certain value it is taxable, and Bangladesh is not exception.
The non-taxable amount varies greatly from country to country and is subject to change any time (ironic but true, this can happen even after you ship the gift to the recipient). It's quite disappointing to hear stories of gift recipients having to file comprehensive paperwork and being inconvenienced to file it with the Customs Office in Bangladesh. It's even more embarrassing to the sender to learn about the recipient having to pay taxes to Customs. Some recipients are forced to do so since they are afraid to disappoint the sender and feel obliged to collect the gift regardless of the time, hassle, and money it takes.
Shipping Time Considerations
Between filing the paperwork, perfecting the packaging, cross-border delivery, Customs clearance, and local delivery within Bangladesh it may take anywhere between 3 weeks to 4 months (or more!) to get a parcel delivered to your recipient. So if you are flexible and the gift does not have to arrive on an exact date: this may not be of concern.