- Dhaka
If You’re Planning to Import Cheap Lipstick to Bangladesh, Think Again
In its latest budget, Bangladesh’s interim government has quietly declared a crackdown on undervalued imports, introducing a series of oddly specific adjustments to customs regulations. Among the targeted items: chocolate bars, lipsticks, eye shadow — and yes, even inflatable toys.
These changes, tucked deep inside the budget documents, read more like a middle-class shopping list than fiscal policy. The minimum taxable value for imported chocolate has more than doubled — from $4 to $10 per kilogram. Lipstick now carries a taxable floor of $40 per kg, up from $20. And that inflatable unicorn your child’s been eyeing? It now comes with a 14% price hike, thanks to a new $4 minimum value per unit (up from $3.50).
So, what’s behind this? Possibly a move to combat under-invoicing, a widespread practice among importers looking to dodge taxes. Or perhaps it's a subtle deterrent aimed at sellers of luxury chocolates or toy laser lights.
The issue? Urban consumers who are used to imported beauty products and snacks are unlikely to stop buying them. They’ll just end up paying more — making birthdays and gift-giving that much more expensive.
There’s a broader context here. These policy tweaks appear to be part of a larger effort to recover revenue lost from other duty reductions. But rather than implementing bold reforms, the government seems to be tinkering with niche items, raising tariffs on select consumer goods.
Then there’s the inconsistency: why raise duties on lipstick but not smartphones? Why inflatable toys, but not bovine meat? One possible explanation: these are low-risk, high-visibility tax targets. No one takes to the streets over pricier mascara or imported Swiss chocolate.
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