MetEx House, 496a Great West Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW5 0TE  ·  Shipping since 1998
0800 096 38 39
🗻 & ✈ Shipping to Bangladesh • UK’s Bangladesh specialists • Since 1998

Shipping to Bangladesh from the UK
Luggage, personal effects & household goods — by air or sea

Everything you need to ship to Bangladesh in one place. We collect from your door anywhere in the UK, handle the customs paperwork, and deliver to Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet and beyond. Air freight in 4–8 working days, or economical sea freight in roughly 4–7 weeks, subject to space and flight availability with the carriers. These sea transit times are approximate — the actual time depends on when your LCL container finishes loading and consolidating, the vessel’s sailing date and route, any transhipment hub before the final destination, and customs clearance, so please allow a week or two either side. Shipping to Bangladesh since 1998.

Get a quote 📞 0800 096 38 39

Bangladesh is one of our most important diaspora routes — the UK–Sylhet connection alone keeps this lane busy year-round. A smooth, low-cost clearance comes down to the Transfer of Residence concession, the right embassy paperwork and an honest, detailed inventory. This guide brings together everything that actually matters for a UK–Bangladesh shipment, drawn from our Heathrow-side operation and 25+ years on this route.

Every way we ship to Bangladesh

Not sure which service you need? Start here — each links to full details, transit times and what’s included.

How shipping to Bangladesh works, step by step

1
Quote & book

Tell us what you’re sending and where. We’ll give you a clear quote up front.

2
Door collection

We collect from your address anywhere in the UK. No depot or airport drop-off needed.

3
Pack & document

Goods are export-packed and we prepare your itemised inventory and the customs declaration.

4
Ship by air or sea

Air freight from Heathrow, or consolidated sea freight to the Port of Chattogram (Chittagong).

5
Customs clearance

Bangladesh Customs (National Board of Revenue) assess your shipment. The owner needs to be present with passport and bill of lading.

6
Delivery

Your goods are delivered to your Bangladesh address, or ready to collect from the arrival depot.

Transfer of Residence — the returning-expatriate concession

Bangladesh gives returning expatriates a substantial duty concession on used household and personal goods under the Transfer of Residence Baggage Rules — not a full exemption, but a significant saving if you qualify.

The TR concession: Bangladeshi nationals transferring residence after living abroad for at least 2 years qualify for a Transfer of Residence tax benefit on used household and personal effects — a large reduction on the assessable value that increases with the years you’ve spent abroad.
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Embassy certificate: to claim the benefit you’ll need a certificate from the Bangladesh High Commission confirming your period abroad, plus a detailed inventory.
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You must be present. The owner needs to be in Bangladesh for clearance, with the original passport and bill of lading. A baggage declaration is completed within 20 days of arrival.
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Electronics & appliances are dutiable. TVs, fridges and similar are charged duty at fixed rates (often one of each at a concession). Budget for these separately.
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New items don’t qualify. Anything new or bought for the move is assessed at standard rates — and Bangladeshi citizens can’t import alcohol.

Moving-to-Bangladesh shipping guide ›

What you can’t ship — and what slows shipments down

Some items are prohibited and others attract duty. Packing sensibly and declaring honestly keeps your clearance quick.

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Prohibited: narcotics, counterfeit currency, obscene or subversive material, anything that outrages religious feeling, and maps that misrepresent Bangladesh’s territory. Alcohol can’t be imported by Bangladeshi citizens.
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Also prohibited in freight: aerosols, perfumes and aftershaves (flammable), loose batteries, and tobacco. Leave them out.
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List everything clearly. A detailed inventory is essential for both the TR concession and a quick clearance. Number your boxes to match.
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When in doubt, declare it. Undeclared dutiable electronics are the most common cause of delay.

What we see most often — and how to avoid it

Most UK–Bangladesh shipments clear without drama. The ones that don’t nearly always come down to the same short list:

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No embassy certificate. The TR benefit hinges on proof of your years abroad — get the High Commission certificate before shipping.
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Owner not in the country. Bangladesh needs the owner present for clearance — plan the shipment to arrive around when you do.
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Assuming it’s duty-free. TR is a concession, not a full exemption — electronics and new items still attract duty. Budget for it.
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The 20-day declaration. The baggage declaration is completed within 20 days of arrival — don’t let it slip.

What a shipment to Bangladesh actually looks like

An illustrative example of a common scenario — your quote is always to your exact shipment.

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A Bangladeshi family returning to Sylhet after several years in the UK would typically send a home’s contents by sea freight to Chattogram, with us collecting from their UK door, export-packing, and preparing the TR paperwork, embassy certificate and a detailed inventory. Used furniture, kitchenware and clothing clear at the concessional rate; electronics are declared for duty. Transit is usually 4–7 weeks. Urgent items go ahead by air.

Door-to-door across Bangladesh

We deliver nationwide. Here are our most popular destinations — each with local delivery detail and transit times:

Which is right for your shipment?

Air freight suits a few boxes or anything urgent — 4–8 working days, priced on weight and size. Sea freight suits volume — a room, a family’s contents or a whole home — at a fraction of the per-kilo cost, over roughly 4–7 weeks door-to-door. Many customers split the two: air for the essentials, sea for the rest.

Shipping to Bangladesh — your questions answered

Should I ship or pay the airline for extra bags? +
For more than a bag or two, shipping is usually cheaper than airline excess-baggage fees — and you’re not carrying the weight through the airport. We collect from your door and deliver across Bangladesh.
How long does it take? +
Air freight is typically 4–8 working days. Sea freight is typically around 4–7 weeks door-to-door, plus customs clearance.
Will I pay duty? +
Bangladeshi nationals transferring residence after 2+ years abroad qualify for a substantial Transfer of Residence duty concession on used household and personal effects (rising with years abroad). It's a reduction, not a full exemption — electronics and new items still attract duty.
What paperwork do I need? +
Passport, bill of lading, a detailed inventory, a baggage declaration (within 20 days of arrival), and a Bangladesh High Commission certificate confirming your period abroad to claim the TR benefit. We prepare these with you.
Can I send electrical items and furniture? +
Yes, but TVs, fridges and similar appliances are dutiable in Bangladesh at fixed rates. Bangladesh uses 220V and UK-style plugs, so most UK appliances work. We'll flag likely duties when we quote.
Is my shipment insured? +
We offer marine transit cover — we’ll explain the options and cost when we quote, and we always recommend cover for a long-haul shipment.
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Lak Kharod, Director
Excess Luggage Co. • overseeing UK–Bangladesh shipping since 1998 • MetEx House, Hounslow, next to Heathrow

Excess Luggage Co. has shipped personal effects, luggage and household goods from the UK to Bangladesh for over 28 years — through our own Heathrow-side warehouse and collection fleet. We know this route and exactly what Bangladesh customs looks for. For a quote or advice on your paperwork, call us on 0800 096 38 39.

Ready to ship to Bangladesh?

Tell us what you’re sending and where it’s going. We’ll come back with a quote and a realistic transit-time estimate — before you commit to anything.