What to Do When Someone Dies in Bangladesh: 5-Step Official Checklist

1. 1

   Obtain Medical Certification of Death or Forensic Clearance

   • Hospital or clinical deaths: When a death occurs in a public medical college hospital, district hospital, or licensed private clinic under the supervision of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the attending registered physician issues a formal Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) [1]. Before leaving the hospital, verify that the deceased's full legal name, National Identity Card (NID) or passport number, age, and exact time and cause of death match official identity records [1, 2].
   • Deaths at home from natural causes: If your family member died at home without a doctor present, obtain a written death attestation from a registered physician who treated the deceased or notify the local City Corporation ward councillor, Pourashava (municipality) councillor, or Union Parishad member, who can issue a local death verification slip required for civil registration [2, 3].
   • Sudden, accidental, or unexplained deaths: If the death is unexpected, accidental, or unattended by a physician, notify the local police station (thana) immediately. Under the Code of Criminal Procedure, police prepare a formal inquest report (surathal) and transfer the body to a government hospital mortuary under the Directorate General of Health Services for a medico-legal post-mortem examination before issuing a police burial or cremation clearance certificate [1].
2. 2

   Register the Death with the Civil Registry (BDRIS)

   • Statutory 45-day deadline: Under the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 2004, every death in Bangladesh must be reported to the local Registrar within 45 days of the date of death [2]. Registration within 45 days is free of charge; late registration after 45 days requires a late fee and supporting explanation [2].
   • Where and how to register: Applications are submitted through the Birth and Death Registration Information System (BDRIS), managed by the Office of the Registrar General, Birth and Death Registration, and processed locally at the relevant City Corporation zone office, Pourashava, Union Parishad, or Cantonment Board where the death occurred or where the deceased resided [2, 3].
   • Required documents and bilingual certificates: Submit the hospital MCCD (or graveyard/crematorium receipt or ward councillor attestation), a copy of the deceased's Birth Registration Certificate or NID, Holding Tax payment receipt as proof of address, and the informant's NID and mobile number [2, 3]. Request the official Death Certificate issued in both Bengali and English from the Office of the Registrar General, Birth and Death Registration so it can be used seamlessly across banks, courts, and foreign authorities [3].
3. 3

   Arrange Burial, Cremation, or International Repatriation

   • Local burial or cremation permits: In urban areas (such as Dhaka North, Dhaka South, or Chattogram City Corporations) and Pourashavas, present the hospital MCCD and the deceased's NID to the municipal graveyard (gorosthan) or crematorium (shoshan) authority to obtain a burial or cremation receipt [2, 3]. Retain this official receipt carefully, as BDRIS registrars require it if civil registration is completed after the funeral [3].
   • International repatriation of human remains: If the deceased was a foreign citizen or if the remains must be transported abroad, coordinate through a licensed international funeral director and the relevant embassy in Dhaka. International air cargo repatriation requires an official MCCD, a BDRIS English Death Certificate, a formal embalming certificate and coffin sealing certificate from an authorized hospital mortuary under the Directorate General of Health Services, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the local police and Ministry of Home Affairs, and customs/port health clearance at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport [1, 3, 6].
   • Document legalization and Apostille: When Bangladeshi death or succession documents must be presented abroad, have them verified and attested (or Apostilled) through the Consular and Welfare Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka [6].
4. 4

   Notify Pension, Social Welfare, Tax, and Banking Authorities

   • Social safety net and welfare allowances: If the deceased received an Old Age Allowance, Disability Allowance, or other public benefit, notify the local Upazila or Urban Social Services Office under the Department of Social Services [4]. Where the deceased leaves behind an eligible surviving spouse in financial need, inquire with the Department of Social Services about the Widow and Destitute Women Allowance or family welfare grants [4].
   • Pensions, benevolent funds, and employment benefits: If the deceased was a civil servant, contact the Chief Accounts and Finance Officer (CAFO) and the Bangladesh Employees Welfare Board to claim the lump-sum burial grant, benevolent fund grant, gratuity, and family pension. If the deceased was enrolled in the Universal Pension Scheme, notify the National Pension Authority, and for private-sector employees, submit the death certificate to the employer's HR department to claim group life insurance and Provident Fund balances [3, 4].
   • Banking and tax closure: Present the official BDRIS Death Certificate to all banks, Mobile Financial Services (such as bKash or Nagad), and the Directorate of National Savings (for Sanchayapatra savings certificates) to freeze sole accounts and verify whether valid nominee (nominee) designations are on file [3, 5]. A legal representative must also file the deceased's final income tax return with the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
5. 5

   Administer the Estate, Succession Certificate, or Probate

   • Personal law and municipal Warishan Certificate: In Bangladesh, inheritance distribution follows the deceased's personal religion-based law (Muslim Personal Law / Faraid, Hindu Law, or Christian/general rules under the Succession Act, 1925) [5]. As a first step, obtain a Relationship / Legal Heir Certificate (Warishan Certificate) signed by the City Corporation Mayor/Ward Councillor, Pourashava Mayor, or Union Parishad Chairman listing all surviving legal heirs [5].
   • Court Succession Certificate for movable assets: While banks and savings authorities may release certain balances to a registered nominee as trustee for the legal heirs, releasing unnominated bank accounts, shares, or financial securities requires a formal Succession Certificate issued by the competent Joint District Judge Court (under the supervision of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh) pursuant to Part X of the Succession Act, 1925 [5].
   • Probate, Letters of Administration, and land mutation: If the deceased left a valid Will (or if full estate administration is required), petition the District Court for a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration under the Succession Act, 1925, paying the applicable ad valorem court fee (Bangladesh imposes no separate standalone inheritance tax, though court fees and land transfer fees apply) [5]. To transfer real estate (namjari / mutation), submit the BDRIS Death Certificate, Warishan Certificate, title deeds, and any registered Partition Deed (Bontonnama) to the Assistant Commissioner (Land) office [3, 5]. Heirs residing abroad can execute a Power of Attorney attested by a Bangladesh Embassy or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so a local representative can complete court and land mutation filings on their behalf [6].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) - Public Hospitals and Medical Services — Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Bangladesh
2. [2]
   The Births and Deaths Registration Act, 2004 (Act No. XXIX of 2004) — Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (Laws of Bangladesh)
3. [3]
   Birth and Death Registration Information System (BDRIS) — Office of the Registrar General, Birth and Death Registration
4. [4]
   Social Safety Net Programmes and Allowances — Department of Social Services (DSS), Ministry of Social Welfare
5. [5]
   The Succession Act, 1925 (Act No. XXXIX of 1925) — Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (Laws of Bangladesh)
6. [6]
   Consular Services, Document Attestation, and Power of Attorney Guidelines — Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Bangladesh