Passengers to pay Tk 4,000 for carrying a bhori of gold from abroad

The inbound passengers have been proposed to be charged with a duty of Tk 4,000 for bringing a bhori or 11.556 grams of gold bars from abroad, a 100 per cent jump from the previous duty of Tk 2,000.

Additionally, the maximum amount of carrying gold has been reduced to 10.3 bhoris or 117 grams.

The proposal was made by finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal during his budget speech at the national parliament on Thursday.

Previously, passengers were permitted to import gold bars or gold pieces weighing up to 20.06 bhoris or 234 grams upon arrival from abroad, subject to the payment of all duties and taxes.

“In order to increase the flow of valuable foreign currency in the country, I propose to curtail the facility and decrease the amount of gold to 117 grams instead of existing 234 grams,” said the finance minister.

Furthermore, the finance minister suggested amending the existing baggage regulations to incorporate the provision of confiscating any excess amount of gold beyond the declared quantity or gold brought in by the passenger while concealing it.