City repatriation guide
Repatriation from Dhaka, Bangladesh
Specific guidance for arranging repatriation from Dhaka. Local documentation contacts, airport cargo routes, and the typical process for cases originating in this area.
Dhaka is the capital and primary city of Bangladesh, and the destination with the deepest family connections for the British-Bangladeshi community. The British-Bangladeshi diaspora — estimated at over 600,000 UK residents, concentrated in Tower Hamlets, Oldham, and Birmingham — is predominantly of Sylheti origin, but Dhaka is where administrative, medical, and legal processes are centralised. British nationals who die in Bangladesh come largely from two groups: first and second generation British-Bangladeshis visiting extended family, and elderly British-Bangladeshi nationals who have returned to Bangladesh permanently or for extended stays. Hospital deaths in Dhaka’s private sector — Square Hospital, United Hospital, Labaid Hospital, and the Apollo Dhaka — are the primary category for the British-Bangladeshi community with means.
What the British High Commission does — and does not do
The British High Commission Dhaka (United Nations Road, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212) covers all of Bangladesh.
The BHC can: Register the death in UK consular records. Advise on Bangladeshi documentation requirements. Provide a funeral director referral list for Dhaka.
The BHC cannot: Repatriate the body. Pay any costs. Instruct Bangladeshi police or medical authorities.
FCDO 24-hour emergency line: +44 (0)20 7008 5000.
What Bangladeshi law requires
Under the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 (CrPC) as applicable in Bangladesh, sudden, violent, or unexplained deaths are reported to the local Police Station (Thana) and may trigger an inquest under Section 174. Where criminal cause is suspected, the case passes to the Magistrate. Forensic post-mortems are conducted at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) Department of Forensic Medicine, or at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine (NIFM) Dhaka.
For expected in-hospital deaths at private hospitals, the attending physician certifies cause of death. Private hospitals in Dhaka are generally accustomed to the documentation requirements for international cases and may be able to assist the family in liaising with the relevant authorities.
Death certificates in Bangladesh are issued by the relevant City Corporation ward (for Dhaka, through Dhaka North or Dhaka South City Corporation) or Union Parishad for deaths outside the city. NADRA (in Pakistan context) — here the equivalent is the Registrar of Births and Deaths under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 2004.
The documentation chain
1. Death certificate. Issued by Dhaka City Corporation (North or South) or Union Parishad.
2. Police inquest report (Section 174 CrPC) and written clearance (in sudden deaths).
3. Post-mortem report (DMCH or NIFM Dhaka, where applicable).
4. International transport permit. Issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Bangladesh / Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
5. Embalming certificate.
6. IATA cargo documentation — DAC to LHR direct or via hub.
Source: Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 (Bangladesh); Births and Deaths Registration Act Bangladesh 2004; DGHS Bangladesh, 2024.
Airport and cargo routing
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Dhaka (DAC, Kurmitola, 20km from Dhaka city centre) has Biman Bangladesh Airlines DAC-LHR direct service (approximately 10 hours). This is the primary repatriation route from Bangladesh. There are also connections via DXB (Emirates) or DOH (Qatar Airways) for families whose insurance or cargo arrangements prefer Gulf hub routing.
Timeline from Dhaka
- In-hospital natural death, expected: 10 to 18 days
- Section 174 inquest: 14 to 21 days
- Extended investigation: 4 to 8 weeks
Key local considerations
The British-Bangladeshi community in Bangladesh is visited most intensively during Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha, and Eid-e-Miladunnabi — peak periods when the BHC Dhaka handles a higher volume of consular cases. Families should contact the BHC and engage a Dhaka-based funeral director immediately on death, rather than waiting for police or hospital processes to conclude. The Sylheti region (see the Sylhet page) is where the majority of British-Bangladeshi families have their ancestral village roots — deaths in Sylhet are administered separately through Sylhet Division authorities.
For guidance on next steps, contact our team via our enquiry form or WhatsApp.
Information based on Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 (Bangladesh) and Births and Deaths Registration Act Bangladesh 2004. Last reviewed May 2026.
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