# Why are sanitary napkins still a luxury in Bangladesh?

> Heavy taxes and poor access mean many girls in Bangladesh still miss school during their periods, while other countries have made period products tax-free or free.

Published: 2026-10-09 · Desk: Life & Living · Source: TezzFeed Desk · By: Maliha Rahham

For most girls and women getting a period is not a choice and it happens every month whether someone is ready for it or not. Yet in Bangladesh something as basic as a sanitary napkin can still feel like a luxury. While some countries have taken steps to make menstrual products cheaper or even free, many women in Bangladesh still have to think twice before buying something they need for basic hygiene.   

The problem is not simply that sanitary napkins are expensive. It is also about how the products are taxed and treated. The Bangladesh Customs duty calculator currently shows a total tax incidence of 135.91% for this category. The National Board of Revenue also lists a 25% customs duty for sanitary towels and tampons. This does not mean every locally produced pad automatically becomes 135.91% more expensive but it shows how heavily menstrual products can be taxed especially when imported products and materials are involved.

The impact can be especially serious for poorer families. UNICEF Bangladesh has described sanitary napkins as an ‘expensive luxury’, particularly in rural areas. Its research found that almost one in three adolescent girls in Bangladesh misses school for a few days every month during menstruation. Some girls use pieces of cloth instead because they cannot afford or access sanitary pads. 

Bangladesh’s system looks very different from some other countries. For instance, in the UK since January 2021, women's sanitary products have been subject to a zero rate of VAT.  The UK has also included reusable period underwear under the zero rate system since 2024.

 In 2022, Scotland became the first country in the world to make free period products a legal right. Under the Period Products Free Provision Act 2021, local councils and education providers are required to make sanitary pads, tampons and other period products available free of charge to anyone who needs them. 

Of course removing taxes alone will not solve Bangladesh's menstrual hygiene problem. There are also cultural taboos, lack of education and limited access to clean toilets and disposal facilities. UNICEF reported that only 53% of adolescent schoolgirls surveyed had heard about menstruation before their first period. A World Bank document has also highlighted the connection between poor menstrual hygiene facilities and girls missing school. 

Kenya has also treated menstrual products as an education and equality issue and the Kenyan government launched a sanitary towel programme in public schools in 2011 to reduce absenteeism and school dropouts among girls. Under the Basic Education (Amendment) Act of 2017, the government committed to providing free, sufficient and quality sanitary towels to girls who have reached puberty and are enrolled in public basic education institutions 

New Zealand also treats menstrual products partly as an education and child poverty issue. In 2021, the government began rolling out free pads and tampons to schools and across the country. The programme was created because some students were missing school because they could not afford period products. By 2024, the government had committed another NZ$2.9 million to continue the programme which benefited around 200,000 students. 

Bangladesh has made progress as now there are local manufacturers, school programmes and government initiatives trying to make menstrual products more accessible but the goal should be bigger than simply producing more pads. They need to be affordable, accessible and treated as necessities rather than optional products.  If something is necessary for someone's health and daily life why should it be treated like a luxury purchase?

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