Distillers Alcohol regulations in Bangladesh
How to import or export liquor and spirits to Bangladesh, how to register products and labels, the import duty and taxes, and how to get a licence to make alcohol there. Researched October 2026.
Research guide, not legal advice. Compiled in October 2026 from the public sources listed at the bottom of this page. Duty rates, fees and rules change often: confirm with the regulator, a customs broker or local counsel before you act. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
- Status
- Partial prohibition
- Legal drinking age
- 21
- Legal purchase age
- 21
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Licence to make spirits (distillery and bottling)
- Licences needed
- Distillery Licence or Brewery Licence under Section 10 of the Narcotics Control Act 2018, BSTI Certification Mark, Environmental Clearance Certificate, and Factory/Fire Licences
- Authority
- Department of Narcotics Control (DNC), Ministry of Home Affairs
- Documents
- Prescribed application form, land title/lease deeds, layout blueprints and plant engineering specifications, environmental impact clearance, trade licence, TIN/BIN certificates, and site security compliance reports
- Fees
- Tk 1,000,000 (establishment fee for a distillery under the Alcohol Control Rules 2022; recurring annual renewal fees apply)
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Import licence and registration
- Who can import
- Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (state tourism authority), licensed duty-free operators (for diplomats and foreign remittance earners), and licensed clubs/hotels holding valid import authorizations for up to 40% of their approved alcohol quota
- Licences or registrations
- Import Licence / Quota Approval from DNC, and Import Registration Certificate (IRC) from the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports (CCI&E)
- Authority
- Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) and Ministry of Commerce
- Documents
- DNC import permit application, valid IRC, DNC bar or off-trade licence, membership register of permit-holding members (for clubs), proforma invoice, and tax compliance certificates
- Fees
- Varies by licence category and approved quota under the Alcohol Control Rules 2022 schedule
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Product and label registration
Required: yes Process: Brand approval and label clearance must be obtained from the Director General of the Department of Narcotics Control before import, distribution, or sale. The label must incorporate mandatory statutory…
Import rules
Under the Import Policy Order and Narcotics Control Act, commercial spirit imports are restricted. Importers of record must hold a specific DNC import quota permit. Individual consignments require import clearance passes and…
Import duty on spirits (HS 2208)
Spirits under HS Heading 2208 are subject to a statutory Customs Duty (CD) of 25%, Regulatory Duty (RD) of 3% to 5%, Supplementary Duty (SD) ranging from 250% to 350% or higher depending on the specific tariff line, 15% VAT, 5% Advance Tax (AT), and 5% Advance Income Tax (AIT), resulting in a total tax incidence exceeding 400% to 600%.
Excise and taxes
Under the Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty Act 2012 and Narcotics Control regulations, domestic and imported spirits are levied with high Supplementary Duty (up to 350%+), standard 15% VAT, and DNC excise/permit fees…
Retail and distribution
Strictly limited to DNC-licensed venues: graded international hotels (2 to 5+ stars), licensed private clubs (having at least 100 to 200 drinking permit holders), specialized bonded off-shops, and designated local country liquor…
Online sale and delivery
banned
Labelling
Mandatory bilingual (Bengali/English) health warning stating that alcohol consumption is harmful to health; exact alcohol strength (% ABV), brand name, liquid volume, country of origin, batch/lot number, manufacturer name and…
Advertising
banned
Legal definitions of spirits
Under Section 2(5) of the Narcotics Control Act 2018, 'alcohol' is legally defined as any spirit, wine, beer, or liquid containing more than 0.5% alcohol by volume. Standards for distilled spirits (whisky, rum, gin, brandy) are…
Dry or restricted areas
Public consumption and unauthorized trade are strictly prohibited across the entire country. Sale licenses are only permitted in areas that have at least 100 registered liquor permit holders; geographic zones lacking licensed…
Recent changes
Legislative amendment to the Narcotics Control Act raised the maximum administrative penalty for violation of alcohol licence, permit, or transport pass conditions from Tk 1 lakh to Tk 5 lakh. Strengthened enforcement and…
Opportunities for exporters
Opportunities for foreign spirits exporters are limited to supplying high-end international hotel chains, duty-free bonded outlets, and exclusive licensed private clubs within rigid quota allowances. Direct mass-market commercial…
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