# Repatriation to Bangladesh from the UK: documents, steps and timings

> To repatriate a body to Bangladesh from the UK, register the death and get the coroner's permission to move the person. The Bangladesh High Commission does not publish a repatriation checklist, so contact its welfare team to confirm what it needs. It attests UK death certificates once they have been legalised by the FCDO.

Source: https://funeralfinder.org/uk/guides/repatriation-to-bangladesh/ — updated 2026-09-25 — FuneralFinder

Many British Bangladeshi families, a large number with roots in Sylhet, want a loved one buried in Bangladesh near family. It is possible, but the official guidance is thinner than for some countries, so it pays to contact the High Commission early and use an experienced Muslim funeral director. This guide sets out what is confirmed and what to check.

**Key points**

- **Register the death** and get the **coroner's permission** before the person can leave the UK.
- The Bangladesh High Commission **doesn't publish a repatriation checklist**. Contact its **welfare team** to confirm what it needs.
- The High Commission **attests UK death certificates**, after the FCDO has legalised them.
- Islamic practice favours **quick burial**, so start the paperwork straight away.
- The **Funeral Expenses Payment usually can't be used** for a funeral in Bangladesh.

## The UK side: permission to move the person

Register the death within the legal time limit: five days from the medical examiner's office confirming it can be registered in England and Wales, eight days in Scotland and five days in Northern Ireland. Ask for several certified copies.

| Where the person died | What's needed before they can leave |
|---|---|
| **England and Wales** | The coroner's permission, even if the death wasn't reported to a coroner. The funeral director gives notice of intention to remove the body (often called "Form 104") with the green form or coroner's order, at least **four clear days** before the move. The coroner can release sooner, so ask for urgency. |
| **Scotland** | Register in Scotland; the registrar issues Form 14. GOV.UK points to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, and your funeral director will confirm whether any fiscal certificate is needed. |
| **Northern Ireland** | The coroner issues a certificate allowing removal, usually to the funeral director, once satisfied about the cause of death. |

Don't book flights until permission has been given.

## Documents and the Bangladesh High Commission

The High Commission in London and the Assistant High Commissions in Manchester and Birmingham don't publish a procedure for repatriating a body. The confirmed points are:

- **Welfare contact:** the High Commission's welfare team supports expatriates and dual nationals. Email welfare@bhclondon.org.uk or call 020 7584 0081.
- **Attestation of death certificates:** UK documents must first be **legalised by the FCDO**, then attested.

| Office | Attestation (at the time of writing) |
|---|---|
| **High Commission, London** | £15 for up to five pages, three working days; £22 same-day express |
| **Assistant High Commission, Manchester** | 10 working days |
| **Assistant High Commission, Birmingham** | Five working days, or 48 hours express |

Some UK funeral directors report that families may also need a **High Commission No Objection Certificate**, the coroner's acknowledgement, **embalming** and **free-from-infection certificates**, and a **sealed, zinc-lined coffin**. These aren't confirmed on official pages, so check with the welfare team and your funeral director.

## What affects the timing

The main factors are registration, the coroner's notice period (up to four clear days in England and Wales unless released sooner), any High Commission paperwork, and airline cargo space. Attestation times vary a lot between offices, so if you need an attested certificate quickly, the London express service is the fastest listed.

## Faith considerations: an urgent Muslim burial

Islamic practice favours washing (ghusl), shrouding and burial as soon as possible. Repatriation adds days, so:

- tell the **hospital, medical examiner's office and coroner's office** at once that this is an urgent faith burial
- ask a Muslim funeral director or your mosque to arrange **ghusl and the janazah prayer** in the UK before the flight if the family wishes
- ask early whether **embalming** will be needed, as many Muslim families prefer to avoid it.

Cremation isn't an option in Islam, so there's no ashes route.

## Costs

Costs depend on the airline, the route and how quickly you need to move. Expect the funeral director's collection, care and paperwork, a coffin suitable for air freight, air cargo, FCDO legalisation and attestation fees, relatives' flights and burial costs in Bangladesh. Ask for itemised written quotes from more than one specialist.

Bangladesh's **Wage Earners' Welfare Board** gives Tk 35,000 at Bangladeshi airports towards transporting and burying migrant workers' bodies. It's designed for migrant workers, so check whether it applies.

The GOV.UK **Funeral Expenses Payment** needs the funeral to be in the UK, the EEA or Switzerland, so it usually can't help here. In Northern Ireland the funeral must usually be in the UK, and Scotland's Funeral Support Payment covers a funeral abroad only in some circumstances. Mosque or community funeral schemes and life insurance may help.

## Alternatives

**Burial in the UK** is often quicker and simpler, and many cemeteries have Muslim sections. Relatives in Bangladesh can hold prayers at home. Search our [cemeteries directory](/uk/cemeteries/).

## Where to get help

- Our [repatriation guide](/uk/guides/repatriation/).
- [Muslim funeral directors](/uk/muslim-funeral-directors/) or [funeral directors near you](/uk/funeral-directors-near-me/).
- Our guide to [Muslim funerals](/faiths/muslim/).
- See also [repatriation to Pakistan](/uk/guides/repatriation-to-pakistan/) and [India](/uk/guides/repatriation-to-india/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Does the Bangladesh High Commission issue an NOC for a body?

Some funeral directors report that a High Commission No Objection Certificate is needed, but the High Commission's own websites do not publish a repatriation procedure. Contact its welfare team on welfare@bhclondon.org.uk or 020 7584 0081 to confirm what is required.

### How long does attestation of a death certificate take?

At the time of writing, the London High Commission charges £15 for up to five pages with a three-working-day service, or £22 for same-day express. The Manchester Assistant High Commission quotes 10 working days, and Birmingham five working days or 48 hours express. The certificate must be legalised by the FCDO first.

### Is there help with costs from Bangladesh?

Bangladesh's Wage Earners' Welfare Board gives Tk 35,000 at Bangladeshi airports towards transport and burial of migrant workers' bodies. It is aimed at migrant workers, and we could not confirm whether British nationals qualify, so ask the Board or the High Commission.

### Can the body be washed and the janazah held in the UK first?

Yes. Many UK Muslim funeral directors and mosques can arrange ghusl, shrouding and the janazah prayer before the flight. Ask whether the airline or destination requires embalming, as many Muslim families prefer to avoid it.

### Can we use the Funeral Expenses Payment?

Usually not. GOV.UK says the funeral must be in the UK, the EEA or Switzerland. If you decide on a UK burial instead, see our [help paying for a funeral](/uk/guides/help-paying-for-a-funeral/) guide.

## Sources

- [GOV.UK – Arrange the funeral (moving a body for a funeral abroad)](https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/arrange-the-funeral)
- [legislation.gov.uk – Removal of Bodies Regulations 1954](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1954/448/made)
- [legislation.gov.uk – Coroners Act (Northern Ireland) 1959, section 25](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/apni/1959/15/section/25)
- [Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service – Contact](https://www.copfs.gov.uk/contact/)
- [Bangladesh High Commission London – Attestation of documents](https://bhclondon.org.uk/attestation-of-documents)
- [Bangladesh High Commission London](https://bhclondon.org.uk/)
- [Wage Earners' Welfare Board, Bangladesh](https://wewb.gov.bd/)
- [GOV.UK – Funeral Expenses Payment eligibility](https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments/eligibility)
- [mygov.scot – Funeral Support Payment: who can apply](https://www.mygov.scot/funeral-support-payment/who-can-apply-and-when)
- [nidirect – Funeral Expenses Payment](https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/funeral-expenses-payment)