The aircraft from Dubai was raided after it landed at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, said Mohammad Ruhul Amin, customs assistant commissioner.
The 48 gold bars weighed 5.5 kilogrammes and are valued at USD 321,875. The gold bars were found hanging from a black cloth inside the cargo hold off a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight, he was quoted as saying by the BD News.
No one has been arrested or detained yet, he said, adding that investigations are going on in the case.
Bangladesh is believed to be a major conduit for smuggling gold into India, where demand for the yellow metal is high and makes smuggling attractive after recent import curbs by Delhi to cut down foreign exchange outgo.