The National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Sunday extended the deadline for submitting income tax returns by one month till December 31. The last date of submitting income tax returns of all categories of taxpayers except companies for the tax year 2024-2025 was November 30. NBR to launch drive against corrupt officials soon Taxpayers of various professions requested the NBR to extend the deadline for filing income tax returns. The revenue authority on Sunday issued an order extending the time for submission of income tax returns by one month for both online e-return and offline filing of paper returns for all taxpayers except companies for the convenience of taxpayers. NBR Chairman vows tougher action against gold smuggling So far, 375,000 taxpayers have filed e-returns online.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Monday said it has waived the income tax for Grameen Bank for the next five years to remove discrimination in this field. Grameen Bank has been enjoying the tax exemption since its establishment in 1983. But the benefits were stopped in 2020. Grameen Bank was launched by Nobel Peace laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus, currently the chief adviser of the interim government. The tax exemption until 2029 was reinstated on October 10, Thursday in a statutory order after a four-year stoppage.The NBR in a press release said that to end the existing discrimination Grameen Bank has been given the waiver on all income until December 31, 2029 on some conditions.It did not provide any details of the conditions. It mentioned that other institutions operating homogeneous microcredit programmes same as Grameen Bank are enjoying the tax benefits. However, Grameen Bank will still be required to submit annual income tax returns, as per the gazette. NBR to focus on out-of-court settlement of tax disputes to boost revenue According to the press release since the inception of Grameen Bank- established through the Grameen Bank Ordinance 1983 - the income tax was waived on any income of the said institution, exemption from paying super tax or business profit tax.Established through the Grameen Bank Ordinance, 1983 and the subsequent Grameen Bank Act, 2013, Grameen Bank is not a Scheduled Bank and the institution primarily operates microcredit activities, the NBR press release said.It said that Grameen Bank does not enjoy the same tax exemption as per the Income Tax Act, 2023, despite providing homogenous services i.e. microcredit, only because it is not registered by the Microcredit Regulatory Authority.However, Grameen Bank will still be required to submit annual income tax returns, as per the gazette.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is now putting its focus on settling the long pending cases through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) system to boost the revenue collection. The revenue collecting authority of the country is at unease as the first two months of the running FY24-25 saw a setback in the collection due to the political unrest, officials said. A senior official of the NBR said that all commissionaretes have been asked to make a list of long pending cases which can be settled through the ADR. The NBR official said that emphasis has been given to utilise the ADR system to clear these cases. The official wished anonymity as he is not authorised to speak on the subject. In a recent meeting, NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan asked the officials to take effective steps in this regard, said another official this week. "The NBR chairman also asked the officials to take all out efforts to realise the outstanding taxes," the NBR official said. The NBR introduced ADR on July 1, 2012 to speed up disposal of the revenue-related cases through out-of-court settlement. NBR reforms advisory committee likely to start work next week despite some confusions ADR is a tool that parties can use to settle disputes with the help of a third party. It is used for disagreeing parties who cannot come to an agreement short of litigation. However, ADR is also increasingly being adopted as a tool to help settle disputes within the court system. The NBR chairman has asked the  officials concerned to expedite the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), the NBR official told UNB. Another senior official of the NBR said that as per the law taxpayers have to apply to resolve the tax related disputes. He mentioned that some taxpayers always try to evade tax and feel encouraged to settle the matter in the courts.  He also said that those who failed to make any headway in the courts usually come to the ADR system for resolving their disputes. An NBR official involved in the ADR said that due to the reluctant attitude from the businesspeople of the country the system is yet to give its full swing benefit for them and also for the national exchequer. "The NBR has taken various types of initiatives to vibrant the system, and a former NBR member has been appointed after forming a neutral cell for this system," he said. The NBR chairman, while talking to reporters recently, said ADR is a system where both parties can avail a win-win chance. NBR accelerates efforts to clear revenue case backlog He mentioned that if the taxpayers and tax authority do not come to a consensus then there is nothing to do in this ADR system. “For that reason many do not want to go to the ADR process,” he said. In this connection, the NBR chairman pointed out the reluctant attitude of taxpayers and tax collecting authority as they both want to win it all. “In ADR system both have to compromise or both have to sacrifice, that is the meaning of the ADR,” he said. The chairman  mentioned that those who are involved in the ADR are very much experienced and know the law very well. “They try to convince both parties to come for a consensus. If the taxpayers and tax collecting authority do not want to go for a long legal battle then ADR is the best option,” the NBR chairman said. As per available data, there are more than 27,000 cases pending in various courts related to income tax, Vat and duty involving not less than Tk 39,000 crore. Read more: How to file your Tax Returns in Bangladesh

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Wednesday reduced the regulatory duty on both refined and raw sugar imports by 50 percent to stabilize the local market prices. The duty has been cut from 30 percent to 15 percent, effective immediately. NBR explained that this measure is intended to make sugar prices more bearable for consumers.  It pointed out that various global and domestic factors have contributed to the recent rise in the prices of daily essentials, including sugar. Due to the global war, political unrest, and the significant devaluation of the Bangladeshi currency, prices of several essential goods have escalated. Items such as baby food are also becoming increasingly unaffordable for the common man, NBR noted. It further said that recent student protests and the ongoing flood situation have added additional pressures, driving prices of essential items even higher. NBR accelerates efforts to clear revenue case backlog As a result of the 15 percent reduction in regulatory duty, the customs duty on raw sugar now stands at Tk 11.18 per kg, while refined sugar is taxed at Tk 14.26 per kg at the import level. The NBR expects the price of sugar to decrease by a similar amount at the consumer level.  The NBR also expressed hope that lowering the customs duty will discourage sugar smuggling through illegal channels and boost legal imports.  According to the available data, the annual consumption demand for sugar in Bangladesh is 2 to 2.2 million tonnes where Only 1.5 per cent of the country’s demand is met with locally produced sugar. Meghna Group of Industries (MGI) and City Group are the two main importers of sugar followed by S Alam Group, Abdul Monem Ltd and Deshbandhu Sugar Mills. At present, these five private sugar mills imports more than 98 percent of the country's annual demand for refined sugar, whereas the raw sugar mostly sourced from Brazil.

Detectives of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested former Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary and also former National Bureau of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Nojibur Rahman from Ramna area of Dhaka on Sunday night, said authorities. Rezaul Karim Mallik, additional deputy commissioner (ADC-DB) of the DMP confirmed the matter to media. Read: Ex-AL lawmaker Shahidul Islam arrested: DB He informed that the arrestee will be produced before a Dhaka court on Monday. Nojibur served as the PMO principal secretary and NBR chairman during the rule of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Read more: DB arrests ex-food minister Sadhan Chandra from Dhaka’s Bhatara

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is proactively seeking solutions to address pending revenue-related cases in courts across the country, aiming to enhance revenue collection. “We are moving to clear the cases to increase revenue collection,” a senior NBR official told UNB.  He said that revenue collection in July and August saw a significant setback due to the prevailing situation in the country. The NBR is under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to boost its revenue collection by closing all loopholes, as Bangladesh has sought an additional USD 3 billion in budgetary support, apart from the USD 4.7 billion loan. According to NBR data, the revenue collection shortfall for the first two months of the current fiscal year was around Tk 16,000 crore. The target for this period was Tk 57,000 crore, but the actual collection amounted to around Tk 41,000 crore. The revenue collection target for the 2024-25 fiscal year is set at Tk 480,000 crore. Due to political unrest, economic activities have slowed and imports have declined, contributing to a decrease in revenue collection. To address this, the NBR is working to resolve more than 27,000 cases related to income tax, VAT, and duty, involving not less than Tk 39,000 crore.  “This is not a negligible amount, and it is increasing daily as revenue-related cases in courts continue to rise,” another senior NBR official told UNB. NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan recently held a meeting with field-level officials, instructing them to expedite the settlement of revenue-related cases. The NBR Chairman directed officials in the Appellate Tribunal and High Court Division to complete the necessary preparations and resolve these cases quickly to contribute a significant amount of revenue to the national exchequer. Read: NBR forms task force to reform income tax law A senior NBR officer who attended the meeting said instructions were given to prioritise recovering the revenue stuck in these cases. Speaking to reporters after a recent event, the NBR Chairman emphasised the government’s commitment to reducing the backlog of cases in the courts. He noted that a separate bench in the High Court deals with NBR-related cases. He also highlighted the success of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism in handling VAT and tax-related cases, saying, “They are working well.” Meanwhile, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Chris Papageorgiou visited Dhaka from September 24-30 to discuss recent developments and the authorities’ reform priorities. The IMF is reportedly dissatisfied with Bangladesh’s revenue collection performance. The visiting delegation enquired about the reasons for the decline and sought details on the tax rebates granted so far. Read more:NBR seeks suspension on transfer of shares of 7 conglomerates The IMF delegation held a meeting with NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan and members, followed by separate meetings with officials from the Income Tax, VAT, and Customs departments at the NBR headquarters in Agargaon. According to NBR sources, the revenue shortfall for the last fiscal year (2023-24) was Tk 27,500 crore, drawing concern from the IMF. The IMF advised the NBR to develop a new revenue collection plan and inquired about the number of duty-tax waivers granted in recent years. They recommended reducing these waivers to a reasonable level and emphasized strengthening the automation system, offering assistance in this area. The IMF also requested a short- and medium-term strategy paper on fiscal sector reforms and offered support in developing the plan. Read more:NBR scraps mandatory physical inspection of imports from Pakistan Bangladesh is currently under a USD 4.7 billion loan program with the IMF, with three installments already released. Discussions are underway for an additional USD 3 billion loan.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has officially scrapped the mandatory 100 percent physical inspection of all imported goods from Pakistan, a decision aimed at expediting customs clearance and improving trade efficiency. In a letter issued on Monday to customs houses across Bangladesh, the NBR announced the change, explaining that the previous policy, which mandated manual inspections for all consignments from Pakistan under the National Selectivity Criteria of the ASYCUDA World system, was no longer necessary. The letter noted that customs officials at the Assistant and Deputy Commissioner levels had been spending significant time clearing shipments through the "Red Lane"—a high-risk classification that requires both documentary review and physical inspection. However, it acknowledged that these inspections had yielded no significant findings. Given the absence of meaningful results from the physical examinations, the Dhaka Customs House proposed excluding goods from Pakistan from the National Selectivity Criteria, the letter says. Under the ASYCUDA World system, shipments are categorized based on risk levels. Low-risk consignments pass through the "Green Lane," which requires no inspections, while moderate-risk goods enter the "Yellow Lane" for document review only. High-risk goods are directed to the "Red Lane" for thorough inspection. With the new directive, Pakistan’s imports will no longer be automatically classified as high-risk. Instead, customs officials will implement a Product-Based Risk Management system under the Local Criteria, allowing more flexibility in handling Pakistani imports. Customs Houses will now develop their own risk management strategies for imports from Pakistan, based on the local criteria and prevailing risks, the NBR letter added. Major Imports from Pakistan Bangladesh imports a wide range of products from Pakistan, including cotton, yarn, chemicals, wheat, plastic materials, leather, and petroleum products. Other notable imports include food items such as baby food, rice, and fruits, as well as surgical equipment and electric fans. The removal of mandatory inspections is expected to benefit businesses importing these goods, reducing delays and potentially lowering costs.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has initiated a plan to digitize its tax audit selection process, replacing the long-standing manual method, to eliminate human interference and restore taxpayer confidence. The move comes in response to ongoing complaints from taxpayers who claim the existing manual system exposes them to unnecessary harassment. NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan confirmed the development: “We have begun working on digitizing the selection process to ensure it is objective and transparent.” He acknowledged NBR's "image crisis" concerning how tax audit files are selected. "Taxpayers often complain that the manual selection process is subjective, and this has damaged trust in the system," he said. "Our goal is to eliminate any confusion by fully automating the audit selection process, free from human intervention." In line with the NBR's ongoing transition to a digital system, the authority has temporarily suspended the selection of new tax files for audits. Following the formation of the interim government, NBR's member of taxes (tax audit, intelligence and investigation), Md Alamgir Hossain, issued a directive instructing all field-level tax offices to halt new audit selections until further notice. The decision aims to address the complexities faced by both taxpayers and tax officials under the existing manual process. NBR to focus on out-of-court settlement of tax disputes to boost revenue Bangladesh continues to grapple with one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios in the South Asian region—just 7.3%. In contrast, neighboring countries like India (12%), Nepal (17.5%), and Bhutan (12.3%) have significantly higher ratios. Moreover, only 5.2% of Bangladesh's population are registered as taxpayers, a stark contrast to India’s 23.08%. Currently, 67% of the government’s revenue comes from indirect taxes. The NBR has acknowledged the need to shift this dependency toward direct taxes. The NBR chairman has said they are working to broaden the tax net in a way that is more convenient for taxpayers, encouraging compliance while reducing the burden of indirect taxation. The implementation of the Income Tax Act 2023 has introduced new audit guidelines that have raised concerns about potential increased bureaucracy and costs for taxpayers. Under the guidelines, taxpayers may face multiple stages of interrogation, which some fear could open the door to underhand dealings. To combat these concerns, the NBR has been developing specialized software, known as the "Risk Management Engine," which is designed to bring greater transparency to the tax audit process. The software will link with other government agencies to gather data and select tax files for audit based on risk factors, helping to detect tax evasion more effectively. Read more: How to file your Tax Returns in Bangladesh

A Dhaka court today imposed a travel ban on Md Matiur Rahman, the recently removed president of the National Board of Revenue’s (NBR) Customs, Excise, and VAT Appellate Tribunal, along with his wife Laila Kaniz and son Mushfiqur Rahman Ifat, over allegations of amassing illegal wealth. Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad As-Shams Jaglul Hossain issued the order following a petition, according to Aminul Islam, assistant director (prosecution-general) of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Lawyer Mir Ahammad Ali Salam represented the ACC during the hearing. Read more: Matiur removed from NBR post after goat purchase scandal On Sunday, Matiur was transferred to the Internal Resources Division of the Ministry of Finance from his NBR position amid widespread criticism and social media uproar over his son’s purchase of a goat worth Tk 15 lakh before Eid-ul-Azha. He also lost his post as a director at state-owned Sonali Bank PLC. Allegations of amassing illegal wealth surfaced after a video went viral showing Matiur’s son buying a goat for Tk 15 lakh. Matiur has since faced severe criticism over claims of acquiring illegal wealth amounting to thousands of crores in Bangladesh, with alleged investments in Singapore, the United States, Canada, and the UAE. On Sunday, the ACC also formed a three-member body to investigate these allegations. Read more: Goat Affair: Govt directive bars Matiur from participating in Sonali Bank board meeting

Amid widespread criticism and social media uproar over his son’s purchase of a goat worth Tk 15 lakh before Eid-ul-Azha, Md Matiur Rahman, President of the National Board of Revenue’s (NBR) Customs, Excise, and VAT Appellate Tribunal, has been removed from his post and shifted to the Internal Resources Division of the Ministry of Finance. According to a media release signed by Mokima Begum, Deputy Secretary of the Finance Ministry, the decision to move Matiur from NBR will take effect soon. Read more: NBR brings back individual black money whitening opportunities in next budget Allegations of amassing illegal wealth surfaced after a video went viral showing Matiur’s son, Mushfiqur Rahman Ifat, buying a goat for Tk 15 lakh. Matiur has since faced severe criticism over claims of acquiring illegal wealth amounting to thousands of crores in Bangladesh, with alleged investments in Singapore, the United States, Canada, and the UAE. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has formed a committee to investigate these allegations.