Country driving guide · 2026
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Bangladesh: 7 legal requirements + 8 other things worth knowing.
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Tick before you go
7 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
1949 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence
Bangladesh recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit, which must be carried with your home licence and passport at all times.
Passport and valid visa
Carry your passport with a valid Bangladesh visa; police checkpoints are common and may demand to see ID.
Local third-party insurance
UK/EU green cards are not valid; third-party motor insurance must be purchased locally and is mandatory for any vehicle on the road.
Drive on the LEFT
Bangladesh drives on the left, the same as the UK, so EU drivers must adapt; overtaking is on the right.
Speed limits 80/50/30 km/h
Highways 80 km/h, rural roads 50 km/h, urban areas 30 km/h; limits are low because roads are shared with rickshaws, pedestrians and livestock.
Zero-tolerance alcohol limit
BAC limit is effectively 0.00 g/L; alcohol is heavily restricted for Muslims and any drink-driving brings severe penalties.
Cash declaration limit USD 10,000
Amounts over USD 5,000 in cash must be declared on arrival, and the equivalent of USD 10,000 is the practical limit without prior Bangladesh Bank permission.
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the Chittagong Hill Tracts and warns of frequent political unrest; self-driving as a tourist is highly unusual and most visitors hire a car with a local driver.
Bangladesh recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit, which must be carried with your home licence and passport at all times.
Carry your passport with a valid Bangladesh visa; police checkpoints are common and may demand to see ID.
UK/EU green cards are not valid; third-party motor insurance must be purchased locally and is mandatory for any vehicle on the road.
Bangladesh drives on the left, the same as the UK, so EU drivers must adapt; overtaking is on the right.
Highways 80 km/h, rural roads 50 km/h, urban areas 30 km/h; limits are low because roads are shared with rickshaws, pedestrians and livestock.
BAC limit is effectively 0.00 g/L; alcohol is heavily restricted for Muslims and any drink-driving brings severe penalties.
Traffic in Dhaka and on the N1 highway is chaotic with one of the world's highest road-fatality rates; the FCDO and AA both advise hiring a local driver rather than self-driving.
Dial 999 for police, fire or ambulance; response times outside Dhaka are slow, so the Tourist Police (+880 1320-222222) is a useful backup.
Pay cash in BDT at bridge tolls (Padma Bridge car toll BDT 750 / ~EUR 6, Bangabandhu BDT 500 / ~EUR 4); the Dhaka Elevated Expressway charges BDT 80 / ~EUR 0.65 for cars.
Bangladesh has no motorway sticker or e-vignette; road use is funded through bridge tolls and fuel duties.
There is no legal hi-vis / triangle / first-aid requirement, but a torch, spare tyre and water are strongly advised due to long delays and poor roadside assistance.
Heavy monsoon rains flood large parts of the road network from June to September, regularly closing highways and rural routes; avoid night driving year-round.
Currency is the Bangladeshi taka (BDT); octane petrol is around BDT 122/L (~EUR 0.95) and diesel BDT 105/L (~EUR 0.82), paid in cash at almost all stations.
Amounts over USD 5,000 in cash must be declared on arrival, and the equivalent of USD 10,000 is the practical limit without prior Bangladesh Bank permission.
We'll build the itinerary, estimate fuel + tolls, and show EV chargers along the route, and this checklist appears automatically on every trip that crosses into Bangladesh.
Start planning →Places to add to your Bangladesh road trip.
Don't get caught out
Bangladesh drives on the left, the same as the UK, so EU drivers must adapt; overtaking is on the right.
Highways 80 km/h, rural roads 50 km/h, urban areas 30 km/h; limits are low because roads are shared with rickshaws, pedestrians and livestock.
BAC limit is effectively 0.00 g/L; alcohol is heavily restricted for Muslims and any drink-driving brings severe penalties.