Cremation and ashes transport

Cremation in Bangladesh and bringing ashes home

For some families, arranging cremation locally and carrying ashes home is the right choice, and it can be quicker than full repatriation. This page sets out what Bangladesh requires, and what to check before you decide.

Send an enquiry Full repatriation guide for Bangladesh

Cremation in Bangladesh

Can you cremate someone in Bangladesh?

Cremation arrangements in Bangladesh depend on local facilities and on whether an investigation is open. Contact us and we will confirm the current position before you make any decision.

Weighing cremation abroad against bringing your loved one home intact? How families decide between the two.

Who must release the body

Union Parishad (rural) or City Corporation (urban) under Births and Deaths Registration Act 2004; Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS); Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) Forensic Department or approved divisional hospital; Bangladesh Police and magistrate court (for investigated deaths)

Treaty position

Not a signatory to the Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses

Airline guidance

Can you carry ashes on the flight home?

Departure airports: DAC (Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka)

Carriers serving the UK: Biman Bangladesh Airlines; Emirates (via Dubai); Qatar Airways (via Doha)

Airline rules that apply on any route.

What affects the cost from Bangladesh

We do not publish a figure, because it turns on the specifics of the case. For Bangladesh the things that move it are:

Distance from where the death happened to the nearest crematorium
Whether Union Parishad (rural) or City Corporation (urban) under Births and Deaths Registration Act 2004; Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS); Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) Forensic Department or approved divisional hospital; Bangladesh Police and magistrate court (for investigated deaths) has to release the case first
Whether you carry the ashes yourself or need them shipped

Considering full repatriation instead?

Some families decide they want their loved one brought home intact. The full Bangladesh guide sets out that process.

Full repatriation guide for Bangladesh

First steps guide

What to do if someone dies in Bangladesh

The step-by-step first response guide covers the first 24 hours in Bangladesh.

Official lists for Bangladesh

Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.

Lawyers, where an estate or an investigation needs local legal advice

Sources: FCDO: death abroad · FCDO travel advice · Repatriation from Bangladesh

Talk to us about cremation in Bangladesh

We deal with Union Parishad (rural) or City Corporation (urban) under Births and Deaths Registration Act 2004; Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS); Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) Forensic Department or approved divisional hospital; Bangladesh Police and magistrate court (for investigated deaths) and the local funeral directors directly. Tell us what has happened and we will take it from there.