Looking for Bangla books for your children in Toronto, Montreal or Calgary, or a novel no Canadian shop carries? You can ship Bangla books from Bangladesh to Canada with no customs duty, and usually only a small 5% tax. This guide explains the Canadian rules for books, the extra fees to expect and what shipping costs, as of October 2026.
Printed books are duty-free in Canada. Books do not use the normal CAD $20 exemption, so plan on 5% GST on the value of the books. In the HST provinces (Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island), the provincial part is rebated on printed books, so you still pay only 5%. Shipping 1 kg costs about CAD $63–91 by EMS (estimate). Request a free quote.
No. In the 2026 Canadian Customs Tariff, printed books (tariff items 4901.10, 4901.91 and 4901.99) and children's picture, drawing and colouring books (4903.00) are all "Free". That covers novels, textbooks, dictionaries, religious books and picture books for children.
So the only thing that can be charged on a book parcel is sales tax, plus a handling or brokerage fee in some cases. Both are explained below.
Usually yes, but only 5%. Here is how it works.
If you live in British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan or Quebec, provincial sales tax rules are separate from GST, so check your province's rules for books.
The tax on books is small. The fee for collecting it can be bigger, so it helps to know this before you order.
Because of these fees, one bigger order is usually better value than several small ones. On a parcel of books worth CAD $50, the GST is about CAD $2.50, but the Canada Post handling fee is CAD $9.95. I show you this before you pay.
The HST book rebate is only for printed books. The CRA says these do not qualify for it:
Notebooks, diaries and other stationery are not books at all, so they follow normal import rules. If your parcel mixes books with clothes, tea or other goods, duty and full tax can apply to those items. I list every item separately on the invoice, so the books are clearly shown as books. Sending food too? Check what I can't ship from Bangladesh first.
Almost any book that is in print in Bangladesh. Families in Canada often want:
I search Nilkhet, Aziz Super Market and publishers in Dhaka, and send you photos before I buy so you can check the edition. Some popular titles are also sold as cheap photocopied editions. I buy original printed editions and tell you if only a copy is available. If I cannot find a rare or out-of-print book, I say so honestly. More on what I source: buy Bangla books from Bangladesh.
Books are cheap in Dhaka. The real cost is weight. These are estimates, converted at about 1 US dollar = CAD $1.40 (October 2026). Your quote gives the exact figure.
A paperback novel often weighs about 250–400 g, so 1 kg is roughly two to four books. Hardbacks and textbooks are heavier. Heavier parcels cost less per kilo. I weigh the parcel and compare carriers before you pay. See my best courier from Bangladesh guide.
Canada has a CAD $60 gift exemption, but the CBSA says it does not cover items sent by a business. When I buy and ship the books, plan on the normal rules above. The details are in my guide to sending a gift from Bangladesh to Canada.
Dhaka is humid, so I wrap books in plastic against moisture first. Then I pack them flat and tight, with card protection on the corners, so spines and covers do not bend. Every parcel has tracking, and I send you the tracking number.
Send your book list: titles, authors, a photo of the cover, or just the kind of book you want for your child. I reply within 24 hours with what I can find and an itemized quote: book prices, my fee, packing and shipping, each shown separately. You pay only after you approve it, by PayPal, Wise, bKash or bank transfer. Then I buy, photograph, pack and ship.
Ordering more than books? Read buy from Bangladesh to Canada and ship a saree to Canada. Living in the UK? See shipping Bangla books to the UK. For duty on other goods, see my customs duty guide.
No. Printed books and children's picture books are duty-free in the Canadian Customs Tariff. You may still pay 5% GST and a handling or brokerage fee.
Usually yes. Books do not qualify for the normal CAD $20 mail exemption, so plan on 5% GST on the value of the books. Small book parcels worth CAD $20 or less are non-taxable only if the seller is not required to register for GST/HST.
No. Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island rebate the provincial part of HST on qualifying printed books. The CRA says the CBSA should deduct it automatically, so you pay only the 5% federal part.
As an estimate, about CAD $63–91 by Bangladesh Post EMS or CAD $100–130 by express courier, plus my US$12 (about CAD $17) service fee. Your quote gives the exact figure before you pay.
Bangladesh Post EMS usually takes about 12–20 days. Express courier is faster, usually about 5–9 days.
Send me your book list and your province. I'll find the books, show you photos and tell you the full cost, including the likely GST, before you pay anything.
Original editions, photos before I buy, careful flat packing, every cost shown before you pay.