Visitors coming into Bangladesh are allowed to bring a number of items in duty-free. Two hundred cigarettes, 50 cigars or a mixture of tobacco products totaling no more than 225 grams may be brought into the country; 250 ml of perfume are also allowed, as well as any gifts valued at Tk 500 or less (approximately $7 as of June 2010). Tourists may also bring in up to two bottles of alcohol; business travelers and other nontourists may bring in only one bottle. Because Bangladesh is a majority Muslim country, Bangladeshi citizens and other Muslim travelers are prohibited from bringing alcohol into the country under all circumstances. Restrictions on the amount of currency that individuals may bring into Bangladesh do not exist, but visitors must declare if they are carrying more than $5,000 upon arriving.
Bangladeshi customs will not allow certain products to be exported from the country. These items include guns, religiously significant items, antiquities, medicine and business-related equipment. Pirated and counterfeit products such as DVDs and electronics are technically illegal. Travelers leaving Bangladesh with counterfeit products may have them seized.
Travelers who have been in a yellow fever-infected country in the six days prior to arrival in Bangladesh will need to have a yellow fever certificate. If a traveler does not have the proper certificate, she may be quarantined for six days before being allowed to visit anywhere in the country. This is normally not an issue for travelers coming directly from the United States, Canada and Europe, but travelers who have recently visited infected countries in Africa and South America should be aware before heading to Bangladesh. Travelers with HIV/AIDS may also be prevented from entering Bangladesh. As of June 2010, Bangladesh did not have specific criteria for screening entering passengers for HIV/AIDS; instead, Bangladesh allows its customs agents and border guards to use their discretion to deny entry to anyone infected with HIV/AIDS.
