The Ministry of Finance has proposed the appointment of new managing directors (MDs) for 10 state-owned banks as part of ongoing reforms in the banking sector, officials announced on Monday. Once the proposal receives approval from top government officials, an official notification will be issued, according to ministry sources. The interim government recently removed the MDs of six state-owned banks and four specialized banks, leaving these key posts vacant for over a month. The move is part of a broader effort to revamp the banking sector. Among the proposed appointments, Shawkat Ali Khan, currently the MD of Bangladesh Krishi Bank, has been recommended for the top position at Sonali Bank. Probashi Kallyan Bank MD Mojibur Rahman has been proposed as MD of Janata Bank, while Anwarul Islam, former deputy managing director of Janata Bank, is recommended for Agrani Bank. Finance Ministry appoints MDs at 4 state-owned specialised banks Other recommendations include Abdur Rahim, Deputy Managing Director of Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank, for Rupali Bank; Jasim Uddin, former deputy managing director of Janata Bank, for Bangladesh Development Bank; and Kamruzzaman Khan, former deputy managing director of Janata Bank, for the role of MD at Basic Bank. In addition, the ministry has proposed new MDs for four specialized banks. Sonali Bank Deputy Managing Director Mir Mofazzal Hossain is recommended for Ansar-VDP Development Bank, while Salma Banu, Deputy Managing Director of Bangladesh Krishi Bank, is set to take the helm at Palli Sanchay Bank. Furthermore, Sonali Bank Deputy Managing Director Sanchita Binte Ali has been recommended as MD of Bangladesh Krishi Bank, and Bangladesh Krishi Bank Deputy Managing Director Chanu Gopal Ghosh has been proposed for the top position at Probashi Kallyan Bank. This latest reshuffling comes after the previous MDs of these banks were collectively removed on September 19, as part of the government’s efforts to reform the banking sector.

Six major state-owned banks—Sonali, Janata, Agrani, Rupali, BASIC, and Bangladesh Development Bank (BDBL)—have been operating without managing directors (MDs) for nearly a month, creating a leadership vacuum in these key financial institutions. The Ministry of Finance sent a letter on September 19, officially canceling the contracts of the MDs for these banks. In response, the chairmen of the banks have urged Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed to expedite the appointment of new MDs. Banks hit by liquidity crunch: Limited cash withdrawals spark nationwide frustration In a meeting on Monday, Sonali Bank Chairman Mohammad Muslim Chowdhury, Agrani Bank Chairman Syed Abu Nasser Bakhtiar Ahmed, and Rupali Bank Chairman Nazrul Huda met with the finance adviser to discuss the urgent need for leadership in the banks. They stressed the importance of filling the vacant MD positions as soon as possible. A chairman who attended the meeting confirmed that they had formally requested new MD appointments, and the finance adviser assured them that the matter would be reviewed. Finance Adviser urges banks to ensure rigorous loan scrutiny and inclusive lending Since the September 19 letter, the MDs have been officially removed from office, leaving the banks to operate without their top executives.

The Finance Ministry has highlighted low revenue collection as a major obstacle to effective debt management, restricting the government's ability to invest in infrastructure and development projects. According to a document from the ministry, the lower revenue-to-GDP ratio adversely impacts debt sustainability. "This issue is further exacerbated by the LDC graduation deadline in 2026, which will affect the country's access to concessional financing from international sources," the document states. The finance ministry's document, titled ‘Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26)’, also identifies the high-interest rate environment both domestically and internationally as another significant challenge. This situation is increasing borrowing costs and straining public finances. Despite zero investment, govt earning Tk14 crore revenue from Nagad: Palak The rising need for government funding to support critical infrastructure, social safety nets, and other development initiatives compounds the problem. Additionally, the presence of segmented debt offices within various agencies has created coordination challenges in debt management, potentially affecting the country's fiscal sustainability. Recommendations for Improvement To address these challenges, the Finance Ministry recommends a comprehensive and integrated approach to debt management, improved revenue collection, and exploring alternative financing mechanisms to reduce reliance on debt. It is crucial to address these issues promptly to ensure that the country's public debt remains sustainable, the document asserts. Steps Toward Financial Efficiency The Finance Division has already undertaken measures to enhance the efficiency and transparency of the financial system. One key initiative is the introduction of secondary market transactions of government securities, facilitated by a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed among Bangladesh Bank, the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC), the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the Central Depository Bangladesh Limited (CDBL), and the Central Counterparty Bangladesh Limited (CCBL). Despite zero investment, govt earning Tk14 crore revenue from Nagad: Palak This move aims to increase the scope and depth of the secondary bond market, allowing both institutional and household investors to participate in government securities transactions. It is expected to help finance the government’s deficit more efficiently and contribute to capital market development and overall economic growth. Additional Reforms The automation of the National Savings Certificate (NSC) issuance process represents another critical reform aimed at increasing efficiency and reducing paperwork. This measure supports the implementation of policy measures such as slab-based interest rates and individual investment ceilings, aligning with the government’s financing strategy and reducing investment in NSC. Furthermore, the publication of the Debt Bulletin ensures transparency in debt data, benefiting various stakeholders including other ministries, research organizations, the business community, the international community, and the general public. 34% of Bangladesh's revenue spent on debt repayment: CPD Moderate Debt Levels, Significant Challenges Despite Bangladesh maintaining a moderate level of public debt and a low risk of external debt distress due to strong growth and prudent macroeconomic management, the document stresses that significant challenges remain. Addressing these challenges is essential to maintaining sustainable public debt and supporting the country's development objectives.

In an effort to promote a robust domestic debt market, the Bangladesh government is strategizing to increase its share of marketable securities in the coming years. According to a recent Finance Ministry document, the administration is also committed to continued issuance of Islamic securities Sukuks but has currently shelved plans for Eurobond issuances on the global market. As fiscal deficits loom, with projections showing a deficit of Tk 2792.3 billion for FY 2024-25 and Tk 3170.7 billion for FY 2025-26—equating to 5% of GDP each year—the government underscores the need for strategic domestic borrowing. The focus remains on minimizing borrowing costs through traditional external creditors, which are preferred, the document detailed. The strategy for addressing deficits includes an ambitious target of collecting Tk 1200.3 billion from external sources in FY 2024-25 and Tk 1306.4 billion in FY 2025-26, each constituting 2.1% of GDP. Domestic sourcing is expected to contribute significantly more, with plans to collect Tk 1677.7 billion and Tk 1864.4 billion over the same periods, representing 2.9% of GDP. UK's BII supports MSMEs, women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh with $50m debt commitment to BRAC Bank Significantly, the banking sector is anticipated to contribute Tk 1384.9 billion in FY 2024-25 and Tk 1547.3 billion in FY 2025-26. In comparison, non-banking sectors will contribute Tk 292.8 billion and Tk 317.1 billion respectively. Savings certificates will add Tk 191.4 billion and Tk 190.3 billion, while other sources are projected to contribute over Tk 100 billion annually. The government maintains a prudent deficit financing policy to stave off debt distress, keeping the deficit steady at around 5% of GDP and maintaining a stable debt level at around 33% of GDP in recent years, the finance ministry document explained. This balanced approach aims to mitigate the risks associated with deficit financing while prioritizing sustainable economic development. In terms of the medium-term outlook, the government expects domestic borrowing to remain stable at 2.9% of GDP. However, the approach to marketable securities will see a significant nominal increase, with a planned reduction in the reliance on higher-cost National Savings Certificate instruments, which will see a gradual decrease in their contribution to the financing mix. External financing is also projected to increase nominally between FY 2023-24 and FY 2025-26, driven by greater disbursement for large projects and increased budget support, though dependent on the pace of project implementation. Finance ministry to cut corporate tax for industries, consumer goods in upcoming budget Bangladesh has received considerable budget support from external sources in recent years, a trend expected to continue in the medium term, the document stated, highlighting the ongoing commitment to leveraging both domestic and international financial strategies to meet fiscal challenges.

The Finance Ministry has highlighted the crucial need for a balanced approach to budgetary allocations between recurrent and capital expenditure, recognizing their collective impact on the country's growth prospects and social welfare. This perspective is outlined in the ministry's document, the 'Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26)', which underscores the different priorities of developed and developing nations in terms of government spending. Developed countries often prioritize transfers and subsidies, whereas developing economies are more inclined towards investing in social and community services. Despite the positive outcomes from income transfers in enhancing citizens' lives, there is a pressing need to ramp up capital expenditure to cater to the increasing public investment demands and foster the creation of productive assets. Budgetary classifications broadly categorize government spending into recurrent and capital expenditures. Recurrent expenditure encompasses wages, goods and services purchases, subsidies, transfer payments, and interest on loans. In contrast, capital expenditure is directed towards building and enhancing productive assets, including developments under the Annual Development Program (ADP) and non-ADP initiatives. Sikder Group responds to allegations following ACC case against directors The trend in capital expenditure, representing a portion of the total expenditure, has seen an upward trajectory, albeit with fluctuations, while recurrent expenditure has shown a gradual decrease. The revised budget for the fiscal year 2022-23 allocated 59.1 percent to recurrent expenditures, with projections indicating a slight reduction over the next three years. Meanwhile, capital expenditure is set to rise from 40.9 percent in the 2022-23 fiscal year to 41.3 percent by 2026, reflecting an ongoing commitment to bolstering public investment. The increase in recurrent expenditure from 56.7 percent in FY 2017-18 to 59.4 percent in FY 2021-22 was influenced by various stimulus packages introduced to support vulnerable groups during the combined challenges of the COVID pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Conversely, capital expenditure through the ADP, a critical component of the budget, has experienced modest growth from 4.5 percent of GDP in FY18 to an estimated 5.1 percent of GDP in FY 2022-23. This strategic focus on balancing recurrent and capital expenditures aligns with the government's objectives to drive sustainable economic growth while ensuring the welfare of its citizens through prudent fiscal management. Eid holiday: Trade activities through Benapole port to be suspended for 5 days

Bangladesh's Finance Ministry is tackling what it identifies as one of its most formidable challenges: significantly amplifying public expenditure to catalyse sustained growth within the private sector.  An official document from the ministry underscores that, in comparison to other economies, Bangladesh's government spending as a percentage of GDP markedly trails, thereby emphasising the urgency to augment investment. Data from the World Economic Forum and the IMF (as of April 2023), reveal Bangladesh's public expenditure at 13.1% of its GDP, a figure that stands in stark contrast to countries like France at 58.5%, Sweden at 46.8%, and even neighbouring India at 28.8%. This discrepancy highlights the room for growth in Bangladesh's fiscal strategy. The government, aiming to elevate GDP growth and living standards, views the expansion of its expenditure as crucial. This ambition is supported by the progressive implementation of reforms in Public Financial Management. Historically, the government has gradually increased its spending relative to GDP, signaling a positive trajectory. Interest rate for April set at 13.55%, for consumer loans add 1%   Outlined in the 'Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26)' from the Finance Division, the government's medium-term strategy is geared towards securing inclusive and high growth. This strategy is aligned with Bangladesh's Vision 2041, the 8th Five Year Plan, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on priority sectors including infrastructure, industrial production, food security, job creation, healthcare, and education among others. In anticipation of the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), significant allocations have been dedicated to human resource development, particularly in education and skills training. The fiscal projections set public expenditure targets at 15.2% for the 2023-24 fiscal year, 15.4% for 2024-25, and 16.2% for 2025-26. The document further highlights Bangladesh's progression to a lower-middle-income country, with aspirations to attain upper-middle-income status by 2031. This ambition aligns with the developmental targets set within the 8th Five Year Plan and reflects the government's commitment to resuming the rapid economic growth witnessed pre-COVID-19 and pre-Russia-Ukraine war. Banks to remain open on April 5, 6, and 7 for payment of garment workers’ salary, bonus In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government prioritised life and livelihood protection, adopting an expansionary fiscal policy and channeling additional funds into critical sectors.  Despite the global political and economic instability, these measures have begun to show promise, with expectations of returning to pre-pandemic growth levels and policies aimed at promoting pro-poor and inclusive growth. As Bangladesh looks forward, the Finance Ministry is set on formulating strategies to enhance pro-poor growth, stimulate both domestic and international private investment, bolster public investment, curb inflation, generate employment, and alleviate the balance of payment pressures. These objectives underscore a holistic approach to not only recovering from recent global challenges but also setting a solid foundation for long-term, sustainable development.

Aiming to significantly boost revenue collection from domestic sources, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) is adopting a three-pronged approach. These are: digital transformation, expansion of tax net, and enhancing administrative capacity. The core idea is to make tax payments easy and transparent to improve taxpayer services which in turn will help NBR to collect more revenue, according to an official document. According to the Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26) of the Finance Division of Finance Ministry, the government has taken some Major reform measures to materialise the move. The VAT & Supplementary Duty Act 2012 has been implemented in July 2019. With the implementation of the new act, the collection of VAT and supplementary duty is expected to receive a significant boost in the medium term. After the initial hiccup and the shortfall due to the outbreak of COVID-19, revenue collection accelerated in FY22. The government has enacted the new Customs Act, which replaced the Customs Act 1969. International best practices in customs, including that of the World Customs Organization (WCO), the revised KYOTO Convention and the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement have been incorporated here. NBR will go after house and flat owners for not filing returns; NBR Chairman The law aims to harmonise and simplify customs processes to facilitate the collection of custom duties. The new Income Tax Act is also expected to create an enabling environment for taxpayers, streamline income tax assessment and collection, and facilitate domestic and foreign investment. To implement the new VAT law, the NBR undertook the ‘VAT Online Project (VoP)’ which was in operation since 2013 and concluded in June 2021. Under the VOP, the official document said that the three important automation measures have been completed. First, the Online VAT Registration began in March 2017. Again, the central registration system has been in force since July 2019. The NBR has introduced online return submission in July 2019. The digital filing system has been introduced in the form of online submission of VAT returns. The NBR has rolled out the electronic payment (e-payment) of customs duties in 2017, income tax in 2012 and VAT in 2020. Income tax can be paid through MFS (mobile financial services) as well. To facilitate real-time deposit of government money to the national exchequer, the government has launched the Automated Invoice Portal. This Automated Challan (also known as A-Challan) will act as the receipt window of the government. The payment of income tax has already been brought under the A-Challan system on a pilot basis. The NBR now plans to expand its use for payment of VAT and customs duties. The A-Challan will ensure the timely deposit of money including the prevention of fake return submission and revenue evasion.Moreover, the discrepancy between the amount of revenue collected by the NBR and the accounts given by the Accounting Offices will be eliminated. The Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26) said that individual taxpayers can now submit their tax returns online. NBR extends deadline for filing companies’ tax returns to April 30 The NBR has successfully launched eTDS Environment for easy and hassle-free processing of income tax at the source. With the introduction of this system, taxpayers’ time, cost and visits have been reduced to almost zero. Taxpayers can now submit fourteen reports in the eTDS environment. To stop evasion in VAT and enhance VAT collection, the government has introduced Electronic Fiscal Devices (EFD) with a sales data controller mechanism. The government has already installed 9270 EFD/SDC (Sales Data Controller) machines. NBR has selected 24 sectors, including residential hotels, bakeries and fast foods, decorators and caterers, sweet shops etc. for this purpose. To broaden the coverage, the government has decided to outsource the installation of EFD/ SDC machines with a target of 60,000 EFD/ SDC in the first phase and 3,00,000 in five years, if the first phase brings good results. Besides, to prevent tax evasion and to bring transparency in VAT record keeping, the government has made the use of NBR-prescribed VAT software mandatory in VAT-registered industries with annual turnovers of Tk 5 crore or above. The NBR has made provisions to enable internet-based companies, such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft etc. to pay their VAT on online sales. This allows these companies to pay their VAT through their authorised VAT agents without opening their office in Bangladesh. The NBR plans to operationalise the risk management system to ensure that no more than 10 percent of the import consignments are subject to physical examination. To that end, the NBR has established a Central Risk Management Unit/Commissionerate for Customs. To streamline the bonded warehousing system, reduce its misuse and make it transparent, the government has taken a project that aims to automate the bond management system by June 2023. Meanwhile, the licensing module has started operation and other modules will become operational soon. Bangladesh Customs will soon be conducting a Time Release Study in the major custom houses to take stock of the actual time taken in the release of imported consignments. The objective of the TRS will be to identify bottlenecks in customs clearance and to take measures to reduce clearance time. The NBR strives to expand the number of taxpayers and has made the return submission mandatory for all TIN-holders with a few exceptions. Other reform efforts by the NBR included – i) implementation and activation of Online National Single Window, Post Clearance Audit, Advance Ruling, Authorised Economic Operator, and thereby increasing dynamism in international trade; ii) full implementation of online income tax return submission under SGMP project; iii) implementation of “Individual Source Tax Deduction Monitoring Zone” to strengthen income tax deduction monitoring; iv) expansion of the e-Payment system in income tax; v) activation of transfer pricing and anti-money laundering activities; and vi) strengthening ICT infrastructure construction and automation activities. Administrative expansion of the income tax department is underway, the Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement added. Introduction of the Document Verification System (DVS) has brought financial discipline and positively contributed to boosting tax collection both in income tax and VAT by increasing transparency. NBR collects nearly Tk 2 lakh crore in 7 months, growth over 15%

The Ministry of Finance has released cash incentives of Tk1,000 crore for Bangladesh's export-oriented knitwear sector. The ministry took the decision 11 days after receiving an application of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association's (BKMEA) for financial support for payment of salary and Eid bonus ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. Read: Bangladesh Bank has revolutionised digitalisation of financial sector: Dr Atiur The request for cash assistance was made to the government on March 30 in a letter signed by the BKMEA president AKM Salim Osman. The letter stated that if the financial assistance is not given, the export sector may be in extreme trouble over the payment of salary and bonus to the workers before Eid. Bangladesh Bank has been instructed by the Ministry of Finance and the Comptroller General of Accounts to clear the amount of cash assistance. Read More: Dip in US market fails to dent apparel sector's growth momentum.

The spring meeting of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) begins today (April 10, 2023) in Washington DC, USA. This meeting is likely to announce an allocation of USD $50 billion from the organisations to face the global crisis. The seven-day meeting will continue till April 16 at the headquarters of the IMF and the World Bank Group in Washington. Read More: Bangladesh's GDP growth expected to pick up to 6.2% in FY2024: World Bank According to the Ministry of Finance, a delegation of six members is participating in the spring meeting led by the Governor of Bangladesh Bank, Abdur Rouf Talukder. Along with the governor, Bangladesh Bank Chief Economist Habibur Rahman, Finance Secretary Fatima Yasmin and Additional Secretary of Finance Department Rehana Parveen and two officials from the Economic Relations Department (ERD) are participating in the meeting. Apart from this, three more officials from the Bangladesh Embassy in the United States are expected to join the meeting along with the Bangladesh team. Read More: World Bank agrees to finance for development of metro rail-centric communication Generally, such meetings are led by the finance minister. However, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal is not joining the meetings this time. At this meeting of the World Bank Group, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), a subsidiary of the organization, may announce an additional financing of $50 billion to deal with the global crisis. Being a member of IBRD, Bangladesh will also get the benefit of this financing, the finance ministry sources said. Read More: New World Bank leadership must put Climate Action as top priority: V20 The World Bank's spring meeting will be chaired by President of France Emmanuel Macron, and Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Amor Mottley. They will be joined by world leaders, academics, development experts and climate experts. Besides, finance ministers, central bank governors of 189 World Bank member countries will participate.

The Ministry of Finance plans to reform the land registration system with the real price of land instead of mouza based on the government fixed rate method. As a result, the price at which the land is bought or sold will be mentioned in the land registration deed document. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has decided to come up with an effective method for buying and selling land at a competitive market price. Kamal announced this decision in a meeting of the National Coordination Committee, held recently, which was formed to formulate and implement guidelines and policies to prevent money laundering and financing of terrorism. Financial Institutions Division Secretary Sheikh Mohammad Salim Ullah has been given the task of developing the new system. He will do the work along with coordination of the Ministry of Land, Directorate of Registration; Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, and National Board of Revenue (NBR). Read: Bangladesh makes progress in efforts to locally produce Covid-19 vaccines: Health Minister The officials who participated in the meeting said that the finance minister said a large amount of legitimate money is becoming illegal because high-value land is shown at a much lower price, in the deed registration. The money is smuggled abroad later as it becomes illegal income as per law. The cabinet department held many meetings on the matter, but no decision could be reached. It is better to prevent smuggling than to recover the money smuggled out of the country, the Finance Ministry thought. If land registration is made on the market rate, money laundering will be reduced. In the meeting, Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder said that due to the fact that the real value is not shown during the land registration, many times legal money becomes illegal. It is possible to solve this problem only through the market-based rate mentioned in the land deed registration, he said.