Liquor management: Colonial-era rules discarded, fresh ones in place

The government has formulated rules to regularise the sale and consumption of alcohol, a move that narcotics control officials believe will generate revenue and make alcohol easily accessible to individuals with permission to drink.

Certain hotels, resorts, and restaurants will be given licence to open bars and sell foreign liquor, which will help flourish tourism by attracting more foreign tourists, said Manjurul Islam, deputy director (preventive education) at the Department of Narcotics Control in the capital.

The new rules replace the Guidance for the Officers of Salt and Excise Department Volume 1 and Volume 2 from 1915 and 1918, Prohibition Rules from 1950 and several notifications issued on different occasions, Manjurul added.

"The new rules are introduced to keep up with the times, changes in the society and the mindset of people," said Manjurul, who was one the officers who drafted the rules.

The new rules formulated under the Narcotics Control Law 2018 will ensure discipline in sales, marketing, import-export, storage, production, processing and consumption of alcohol, Manjurul said.

Clubs with 100 or more members with permission to drink are now eligible to apply for a liquor licence while those with over 200 such members will be eligible to apply for a licence to open a bar.

Bars will be allowed at export processing zones (EPZ), theme parks, resorts and development projects where foreign citizens reside, according to the new Alcohol Control Rules 2022 issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on February 5.

Anyone aged 21 and above will be allowed to apply for permission to drink. The limit for the sales of alcohol to those with permission is three units at a time and seven units in a month.

The rule defines units as 750ml of foreign spirit, 2,250ml of wine, and 15 beer bottles containing 750ml each. 

Hotels, restaurants and places serving food and alcohol will be allowed to apply for licences to open bars.

Hotels ranked five star and above will get licences to set up to seven bars; four star hotels up to three bars; three star hotels up to two bars; and two-star hotels one bar.

In the Hill Tracts, indigenous people aged over 21 can drink at home.

Besides, the rules have separate guidelines for homoeopathic medicine importers and tea garden workers.

Places that sell alcohol must be closed on Fridays, Muharram, Shab-e-Baraat, Eid-e-Miladunnabi, Shab-e-Kadar, Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha and any government holidays.

Alcohol can be imported from any country that has trade relations with Bangladesh to supply liquor. No taxes will be imposed for export of locally produced alcohol.

Liquor bottles sold in the country must have health warnings.

Beer cannot be produced without following a procedure prescribed by the government.

Foreign remittance earners duty-free shops can import alcohol.

Restaurants, hotels, clubs or bars will be able to buy 40 per cent of their alcohol from Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation by paying taxes at regular rates or simply import them. The remaining 60 per cent alcohol can be collected from local sources.

Bars and liquor stores must close at 10:30pm. But those with a special licence can operate until 1:30am.

"This will flourish tourism as alcohol will be available at tourist spots. It will generate revenue and alcohol will be easily accessible to permit holders," said Manjurul.

All application forms for licence and permits are included in the new rules available for download at www.dpp.gov.bd.