South Asia · Bangladesh
What does it take to sell cosmetics in Bangladesh? Entry route, responsibility, labeling
Cosmetics require a DGDA licence/registration (import registration valid up to 5 years) u…; Responsible person: A Bangladesh-registered importer or manufacturer holding th…; Labeling: Bengali labeling required (supplementary Bengali ….
Latest change 2026-06-24 — The Health Services Division published the draft Cosmetics (Licence and Registration) Rules 2026 under the 2023 Act for public comment. Source
Factory-side digest; the official text prevails; not legal advice.
- Authority
- Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA); Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) for compulsory standards
- Main regulation
- Act No. 29 of 2023 (18 Sept 2023); draft Cosmetics (Licence and Registration) Rules 2026; BSTI mandatory CM-licence product list · Drugs and Cosmetics Act 2023 (Act No. 29 of 2023)
- In force
- 2023-09-18
- Market entry
- Cosmetics require a DGDA licence/registration (import registration valid up to 5 years) under the 2023 Act, with detailed rules still in draft, and a BSTI CM licence/port clearance certificate is mandatory for cosmetics on the compulsory standards list (328 products as of May 2026).
- Responsible person
- A Bangladesh-registered importer or manufacturer holding the DGDA and BSTI licences must be the applicant, so foreign brands need a local authorised importer.
- Safety file
- Product Information File (Annexure-I), GMP certificate, CoA, Free Sale Certificate, origin-country registration and a declaration of no harmful chemicals, plus a halal certificate if animal by-products are used.
- Labeling
- Bengali labeling required (supplementary Bengali label for imports) with ingredients, batch, expiry, price and importer details, plus a BSTI metrology certificate for net content.
- Animal testing
- No statutory ban identified.
- Ingredient lists
- No published national annex system; compliance is judged against the applicable Bangladesh Standard (BDS) for each product type and DGDA harmful-chemical declarations.
- Notes
- The draft-rules date (2026-06-24) comes from a search snippet because the hsd.gov.bd page could not be fetched; Bengali labeling and 5-year import-registration validity come from consultancy sources.
- Official text
- https://dgda.gov.bd/
Changes 2025–2026
- Bangladesh publishes draft Cosmetics (Licence and Registration) Rules 2026
The Health Services Division released for comment the draft rules that will operationalise cosmetics licensing and registration under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 2023 (DGDA), which has so far run without detailed rules. Source
FAQ
Does Bangladesh require notification or registration before sale?
Cosmetics require a DGDA licence/registration (import registration valid up to 5 years) under the 2023 Act, with detailed rules still in draft, and a BSTI CM licence/port clearance certificate is mandatory for cosmetics on the compulsory standards list (328 products as of May 2026).
Is a local responsible person mandatory in Bangladesh?
A Bangladesh-registered importer or manufacturer holding the DGDA and BSTI licences must be the applicant, so foreign brands need a local authorised importer.
What are the labeling requirements in Bangladesh?
Bengali labeling required (supplementary Bengali label for imports) with ingredients, batch, expiry, price and importer details, plus a BSTI metrology certificate for net content.
What changed recently in Bangladesh cosmetic regulation?
2026-06-24 The Health Services Division published the draft Cosmetics (Licence and Registration) Rules 2026 under the 2023 Act for public comment.
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