The National Board of Revenue (NBR) recorded a 12.90 percent growth in overall tax collection during the first seven months of the current fiscal year (FY2025–26), driven by strong performances in VAT and income tax, according to provisional data.
The National Board of Revenue collected Tk 2,23,638 crore in revenue during the July–January period of FY26, up from Tk 1,98,090.13 crore collected during the same period in the previous fiscal year.
The target was Tk 2,83,750 crore for the first seven months of the running fiscal.
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Among the major sources, Value Added Tax (VAT) posted the highest growth rate. VAT collection rose by 16.45 percent to Tk 85,769.45 crore crore during the period, compared to Tk 73,653.66 crore in the corresponding period of FY25 while the target for the running fiscal was Tk 1,01,274.57 crore.
Income tax collection also registered a significant increase, rising 13.29 percent to Tk 75,055.06 crore from Tk 66,252.42 crore a year earlier. The target was Tk 1,03,980.09 crore.
Customs revenue, another major component of government income, grew by 7.86 percent to Tk 62,813.52 crore during the July–January period, up from Tk 58,184.85 crore in the same period of the previous fiscal year. The target was Tk 78,496.27 crore.
Despite the overall positive trend, customs revenue showed a slight decline in January alone. Customs collection in January 2026 stood at Tk 8,581 crore, marking a 1.31 percent decrease from Tk 8,694.87 crore collected in January 2025. But the target was Tk 13,495.43 crore.
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However, VAT and income tax continued to perform strongly during the month. VAT collection in January rose by 2.57 percent to Tk 15,277 crore, compared to Tk 14,894.31 crore in the same month last year. The target was Tk 20,475.57 crore.
Income tax collection recorded even stronger growth in January, increasing by 7.18 percent to Tk 13,175 crore, up from Tk 12,292.63 crore in January 2025. The target was Tk 18,574.57 crore.
Overall, total revenue collection in January 2026 stood at Tk 37,033 crore, registering a 3.21 percent increase from Tk 35,881.81 crore collected in January last year while the target for the running fiscal was Tk 52,545.57 crore.
However, the total revenue collection during the July–January period remained below the target set for the fiscal year. The revenue target for the period was Tk 2,83,750.94 crore, indicating a shortfall despite the positive growth.
Officials said the steady growth in VAT and income tax reflects improved compliance and administrative measures, although customs revenue remains vulnerable to import trends, exchange rate fluctuations and overall economic activity.
The government relies heavily on NBR revenue to finance its budget, making sustained growth in tax collection crucial for maintaining fiscal stability and supporting development expenditure.