The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has taken a master plan to digitise all of its activities to ensure that digital services reach the taxpayers. “In future all activities of the NBR will be through digital platform. We will digitise everything. We are formulating a master plan, and we have taken project accordingly,” NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan said on Sunday. He was addressing a workshop on Identifying problems of e-Return system and find out the way to solve those. It was held at the multipurpose conference room of the Revenue Building. NBR moves to identify issues hampering online e-return of taxes Chaired by NBR Member (Tax Information Management and Services) Abu Hannan Delwar Hossain, the workshop was also attended by NBR Member (Tax Administration and Human Resource Management) GM Abul Kalam Kaikobad as the special guest. The revenue collecting boss said that from July 1 the online return submission system will be active for submitting income tax return. Responding to concern of preserving data in the online system, he said all data will be preserved and the NBR will ultimately put the online system in a cloud based storage system. “If we can do that, hopefully there will be no storage problem,” he added. Khan said that from the next fiscal year all corporate return will be submitted through online system. “We are wanting to make it compulsory for everyone to submit their income tax return through online with some exceptions,” he said. NBR boss blames lack of good governance for lower FDI He also mentioned that through this there will be no unnecessary phobia regarding audit selection as errors in tax calculation will be on the shoulder of the system introduced by the NBR. “There will be available data, we will use artificial intelligence to find out file automatically for audit selection ensuring objective criteria, there will be no human touch at then,” he said. The NBR opened the online return filing system for taxpayers from September 9 last year in order to simplify the income tax return filing and tax payment system for the fiscal year 2024-2025. By using the website www.etaxnbr.gov.bd, individual taxpayers easily and quickly submitted their income tax returns for the fiscal year 2024-2025 online and download and print copies of the submitted returns, acknowledgement letters, income tax certificates, TIN certificates. At the same time, taxpayers are getting the benefits of tax payment and tax adjustment through internet banking, card payment (debit/credit card) and mobile banking. Based on the needs and opinions of the taxpayers, the online return filing process has been gradually simplified and made more taxpayer-friendly, and the e-return system has received a huge response from the taxpayers, as a result of which more than 14.96 lakh taxpayers have filed their returns online this year and more than 18.90 lakh taxpayers have completed registration for e-return. The NBR hoped that if the existing problems of the system can be identified and eliminated, all taxpayers will be able to file income tax returns online from the next tax year. Initially the online tax return has been open for all taxpayers as per their wish. But later the NBR has made it mandatory for the government employees under the jurisdiction of income tax circles located in Dhaka North, Dhaka South, Gazipur and Narayanganj City Corporation, as well as sections of the private sector. Online filing of income tax returns has been made mandatory for working officers/employees of all scheduled banks, all mobile telecom service providers and some multinational companies namely Unilever Bangladesh Limited, British American Tobacco Bangladesh Company Limited, Marico Bangladesh Limited, Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited, Bata Shoe Company (Bangladesh) Limited, Nestlé Bangladesh Plc.  

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has reduced the source tax on imported fresh fruits from 10 percent to 5 percent. These fruits are fresh or dried oranges, fresh or dried citrus fruits, fresh or dried grapes, fresh or dried lemons, fresh or dried other citrus fruits, fresh or dried grapes, fresh apples and pears. The NBR has issued a notification in this regard, which will come into effect immediately. Imported fruit prices surge by up to Tk 100 per kg ahead of Ramadan

National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan on Thursday asked the revenue officials to be more empathetic towards the business people for the sake of growing business in the country. “If we are not empathetic towards businesspeople, the country's economy will not thrive. I urge revenue officials to be understanding—this is the reality,” he said at a pre-budget meeting with business associations at the NBR conference room. He said that taking less tax to give priority or imposing heavy tax both are unjust and punishable issue. “Unfortunately we never identify these matters as well as did not take any action, from now on we will identify these matters and will take actions accordingly,” he said. He said that the budget for the next 2025-26 fiscal will be rational for the business people so that they could get some benefits from it. The NBR chief also said that from his organisation it will give some tax benefits for the business people gradually and widen the tax base accordingly to enhance the revenue collection. In this connection he mentioned that there are some 1.13 crore TIN holders in the country right now, but regretfully only 41 lakh have submitted their income tax return so far. “We are putting these TIN holders under surveillance, we are tracing the tax evasion, reducing harassment, we are closely monitoring these matters,” he said. Abdur Rahman Khan said that there are many growth centres in the country in upazila and district level where the amount of business is huge. “But these people are not under the tax net, income tax office has started its work, VAT commissionarate will start their work,” he said. In this regard he said that the field level officials will go to the growth centres, do the registration works, complete the assessment and take the payment. When his attention was drawn about the allegations of corruption in the Chittagong Customs House, the NBR Chairman asked the concerned member to take drastic actions if anyone caught red handed while doing any misdeeds. “If anyone caught red handed, we will just tell that person— you have given so many services, thank you very much,” he said. Talking about the reduced rate taxes, he said, “I think that enough is enough, for a long time you are giving reduced rate taxes, now time has come to pay taxes on standard rates.” He also mentioned that in the last couple of months, the NBR has scrapped a number of SROs related with tax exemptions. “Those exemption SROs which will be ended on June 2025, let me assure you those will not be extended anymore,” he said.  

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has issued a notification introducing the “Customs Risk Management Regulations, 2025” aimed at addressing economic risks such as money laundering and terrorism financing. According to the notification, “economic risk” also refers proceeds of crime, other illegal financial activities, customs and tax evasion, and transnational organized economic crimes. As part of this initiative, a dedicated Customs Risk Management Commissionerate (CRMC) will be established. The CRMC will be responsible for collecting, analysing, and reviewing risk-related information to identify and categorise customs risks. It will create and manage risk profiles, update online risk registers, and classify goods consignments into risk-based lanes — Red, Yellow, Blue, or Green — using targeting intelligence, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced data analysis techniques. It will determine risk trends and nature by collecting data from national and international sources and analysing them, collect data for the purpose of monitoring and reviewing economic conditions, geographical conditions, customs duty rates, customs valuation, customs duty exemptions, regional and international agreements, market arrangements and other aspects that affect the duties and functions of customs, conducting necessary surveys and research activities and providing advice in taking remedial measures and formulating customs policies. Bangladesh sees sluggish growth in new business and employment in Feb: Report It will determine the criteria for the selection of consignments on the basis of random selection for all Customs Stations and Bond Commissionerates and to update the said criteria from time to time, monitor and supervise the effectiveness of risk management activities, to inform the Board and make necessary adjustments and to review the results of the activities taken against the Key Performance Indicators. The CRMC will collect information and data from any government, semi-government and autonomous organization, any person or institution related to import and export, banks, financial institutions and other organisations and take the assistance of other organisations in analysing the information if necessary. It will maintain confidentiality in the storage and use of confidential and sensitive information, sign any agreement or memorandum of understanding related to the functions of the Customs Risk Management Commissionerate on behalf of the National Board of Revenue, with the prior approval of the National Board of Revenue. It will Issue risk warnings to all concerned departments, Identify the risk areas and, where appropriate, advising the concerned Customs House or Customs Station VAT Commissionerate to take timely steps to resolve them, Review the necessary information related to risks on a regular basis and updating the risk management indicators. It will exchange information and regularly communicate and coordinate with various national and international organisations and institutions involved in risk management related to inter-country border trade, Prepare annual reports and presenting them to the Board; and Perform other duties assigned by the Board from time to time. Only an elected government can drive real economic growth: Abdul Awal Mintoo For the purpose of establishing proper customs control, the Customs Risk Management Commissionerate shall use ARMS (Automated Risk Management System) or a suitable automated electronic system to determine selectivity after analysing the risks related to cargo, passengers, agents and banks. The Customs Risk Management Commissionerate shall collect the relevant data for risk management from the customs computer system. Any information received from inside or outside Bangladesh or through confidential informants shall be collected, analysed and, if necessary, verified on-site and used as a risk management criterion. The CRMC may follow and use the World Customs Organization Risk Management Model or International Best Practices or any risk management model approved by the Board and may establish a risk register and risk assessment database accordingly. Bangladesh’s stock market plunges on week’s first trading day In order to monitor the effectiveness of the selectivity system, CRMC shall prepare an annual evaluation report from the data stored in the customs computer system or ARMS or any system capable of identifying the effectiveness of the selectivity system and the results of the risk mitigation measures adopted on its basis.  

The Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Tuesday presented its proposal for the National Budget 2025-26 aimed at creating an investment-friendly environment in Bangladesh. The pre-budget meeting was organized by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) at its conference room with Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan in the chair. FICCI President Zaved Akhtar led the delegation, with committee members. Among the key proposals, FICCI emphasized the importance of collaboration with the NBR to create a more integrated tax system that streamlines revenue collection processes and improves the effectiveness of internal revenue mobilization efforts. The FICCI recommended the recognition and establishment of a clear distinction between policy formulation and revenue collection. This separation is seen as a critical step in ensuring greater efficiency, transparency, and fairness in the tax system. The chamber highlighted the need to shift towards a more robust direct taxation system. They proposed the establishment of a dedicated Data & Analytics Team within the NBR to drive this shift, enabling more effective tax collection and compliance. In an effort to attract more foreign investments, FICCI suggested optimizing the effective tax rate by withdrawing thresholds for inadmissibility, rationalizing Tax Deducted at Source (TDS), and gradually eliminating the minimum tax. These steps are aimed at creating a more competitive tax environment, ultimately fostering greater FDI inflow. Bangladesh exported goods worth $32.94bn in 8 months with 10.53 % growth Recognising the global shift towards sustainability, FICCI proposed introducing preferential tax rates and excise benefits to incentivize the development of green supply chains in Bangladesh. This would not only align with global trends but also position the country as a leader in green manufacturing. FICCI recommended the implementation of a unified VAT rate, focusing exclusively on value-added tax. This would simplify the VAT structure and reduce complexities for businesses while ensuring that the tax system remains efficient and equitable. To further streamline trade and ensure timely business operations, FICCI called for the faster resolution of issues related to imports and exports, reducing delays and increasing the ease of doing business in Bangladesh.

National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan on Tuesday said if the business people come to a consensus, the government wants to implement a single, universal Value Added Tax (VAT) rate in the country. “If necessary, we will lower the rate, it should be a single rate, if the business people come to a consensus,” he said while holding a pre-budget meeting with the leaders of FICCI and MCCI at NBR conference room. The revenue collecting chief said that at best there might be two VAT rates. “If the service sector thinks that the rate is harsh for them, then we can lower the rate for them, but we have to bring the VAT rate into a discipline,” he said. The NBR Chairman said that if the VAT rate can be fixed at a single rate and if everyone takes input VAT Credit, there will be no need to pay VAT 15 percent and 7.5 percent. “You will pay VAT on the basis of your value addition, we have to go towards that direction,” he said. MCCI urges NBR to abolish cash transaction in company tax He said that in 2012 the government wanted to formulate the VAT Law, later it was implemented in 2019, but faced a strong protest from the business people. “Later we deviated from our commitment, we implemented the VAT Law in a different manner, our commitment was to implement the single VAT rate,” he said. Abdur Rahman Khan mentioned that VAT should remain as VAT. “If every business people agreed then we will implement the single VAT rate,” he added. He also said that the power of the VAT system, everyone will take their input VAT credit, the power of VAT System which will be account based, is totally different from the present system. The government issued the "Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025" and "The Excises and Salt Act (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025" on January 9. Later, facing serious protest and considering the requests of various professional organizations, civil society and stakeholders, in the larger public interest, the NBR waived or reduced the imposed the VAT rate from a good number of products, good and services.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is set to amend the baggage rules as gold smuggling rises through organised syndicates exploiting loopholes in the regulations. Experts said that weak monitoring and lax enforcement at airports have allowed a steady inflow of smuggled gold, undermining the legal trade and financial stability. According to sources, smugglers take advantage of passenger-friendly baggage rules, which allow travelers to carry a limited quantity of gold legally. Gold worth nearly Tk 3 crore found in cattle shed Currently, inbound passengers can bring up to 100 grams of gold in bars or ornaments tax free. However, smugglers dodge this provision by using multiple carriers, or “mules,” who bring in small quantities to avoid detection. Some recent seizures highlight the growing scale of the problem. In January 2025, customs officials at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport seized 15 kg of gold from some passengers arriving from Dubai and Singapore. Investigators found that syndicates recruit Bangladeshi expatriates and low-income travelers, offering them free tickets and financial incentives in exchange for smuggling gold. Authorities Respond “We have initiated changes to the baggage rules and are currently discussing the matter internally. Once finalised, we will open it for public consultation,” said NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman at a meeting with Bangladesh Jewellers’ Association (BAJUS) leaders recently. Customs officials acknowledge that existing baggage regulations are being exploited by criminal networks, making enforcement challenging. Bajus reduces gold price by Tk2,403 per bhori  “Since each passenger is legally allowed to bring gold within the permitted limit, smugglers use multiple carriers on different flights to move large quantities undetected,” said a senior customs official. Economic Impact and Industry Concerns Illegally imported gold enters the domestic market, bypassing official import channels. This illicit trade causes loss to the gold industry, affects legitimate businesses, and results in significant revenue losses for the government. BAJUS has repeatedly urged authorities to tighten regulations, warning that unchecked smuggling could destabilise the gold market.  “One passenger traveling abroad multiple times a month to bring gold cannot be allowed,” Abdur Rahman stated. “We will introduce stricter rules to bring discipline to this sector.” Businessman shot and robbed of gold jewellery in Banasree He also said that the jewelry sector’s revenue contribution remains below expectations.  “Gold smuggling impacts the overall financial management, law enforcement, and the economy,” he added. Proposed Reforms A senior NBR official said the government is considering reducing the duty-free gold allowance and imposing stricter penalties for violations. BAJUS Vice President Md. Reponul Hasan suggested limiting gold imports to once per passenger per year. “There are syndicates behind gold smuggling. Some members travel three to four times a month to exploit baggage rules,” he claimed. He emphasised that curbing gold smuggling would encourage small industries, citing the COVID-19 period when travel restrictions significantly reduced illicit imports. BAJUS has also called for a dedicated committee within the NBR to discuss policy changes in more detail. “We have heard that NBR has formed a committee, but they have not officially announced it yet. We are preparing our recommendations,” Hasan added. Experts said without regional cooperation and intelligence-sharing with transit hubs like Dubai and Malaysia, curbing gold smuggling will remain a challenge. Authorities must ensure better coordination between law enforcement agencies for effective enforcement. Gold Import Trends Despite existing opportunities, commercial gold imports remain low. According to Bangladesh Bank, only 119 kg of gold has been imported through formal channels since 2019, whereas significantly larger amounts have entered the country under baggage rules, despite higher taxes on gold imported this way. Bangladesh ranks 42nd in global gold imports. In 2019, Bangladesh Bank issued dealer licenses to 18 institutions, including a bank, to facilitate legal gold imports. Currently, 19 institutions hold such licenses, but their import volumes remain negligible. Since 2020, only seven dealers have imported 139.64 kg of gold bars, spending approximately $8.2 million. In 2022, gold imports fell to 24 kg from 93 kg in 2021. However, 12 licensed dealers did not import any gold. The disparity in taxation exacerbates the issue. Dealers pay Tk5,000 per bhori of gold in duty, whereas passengers under baggage rules pay only Tk2,000 per bhori. Gold Market Disruption NBR data reveals that in 2022, Bangladeshi inbound passengers brought in 54 tonnes of gold worth approximately Tk45,000 crore—Tk35,000 crore in gold bars and the remainder in ornaments. Airport records show that air passengers carried 5.5 tonnes of gold in 2020, 35 tonnes in 2021, and 54 tonnes (4.6 million bhoris) in 2022. In 2018, the government introduced the Gold Policy, later revised in 2021 as the “Gold Policy 2018 (Amended, 2021).” The policy allows registered gold dealers to obtain export certificates for gold ornaments, ensuring a legal channel for importation. Currently, 20 institutions serve as direct dealers of Bangladesh Bank, which has also approved procedures for setting up and operating gold refineries. Addressing Illegal Gold Trade The amended Gold Policy estimates the country's annual gold demand between 20 and 40 metric tons, with around 20,000 kg traded daily. This suggests an annual demand of 70-89 tonnes Only 30% of the demand  is met through old gold and formal import and the remaining demand is largely supplied through illegal means or smuggling, according to BAJUS. According to Volza.com, a  platform that provides global export-import trade data for over 209 countries, Bangladesh imports most of its gold bars from India, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates.  

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is planning to make it compulsory for all the individual taxpayers to submit their income tax returns online from next fiscal. The revenue collecting authority has taken the move as it got good results from the online income tax return submission this year. Initially the online tax return has been open for all taxpayers as per their wish. But later the NBR made it mandatory for the government employees under the jurisdiction of income tax circles located in Dhaka North, Dhaka South, Gazipur and Narayanganj City Corporation, as well as sections of the private sector. Online filing of income tax returns has been made mandatory for working officers/employees of all scheduled banks, all mobile telecom service providers and some multinational companies namely Unilever Bangladesh Limited, British American Tobacco Bangladesh Company Limited, Marico Bangladesh Limited, Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited, Bata Shoe Company (Bangladesh) Limited, Nestlé Bangladesh Plc. The NBR has taken a move to simplify submission of income tax return and payment procedure online for the tax year 2024-2025. From this system, taxpayers can pay taxes through internet banking, card payment (debit/credit card) and mobile banking and get the facility of downloading and printing copies of filed returns, receipts, income tax certificates, TIN certificates. Besides, anyone can download and print the e-Return filed for the previous year. Getting positive feedback from the taxpayers, the NBR has decided to hold a seminar with the taxpayers to find out the problems they have faced while submitting their tax returns online. “Within a very short time, maybe one or two weeks, we will hold a seminar with the taxpayers to know their hurdles while filing income tax returns online,” NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan told a programme on Sunday. He said that after getting the problems from the taxpayers the NBR would address those to ensure that the same problems do not recur. VAT on Superstores: No extra charge on MRP, clarifies NBR “Then we could make the online return submission compulsory from  next July,” he said. The NBR chief also said that the target of his organisation is to make sure that the compliant taxpayers must not face any unnecessary hassle. “For that reason we already said the audit selection will be risk based and automated,” he said. He also mentioned that to do so it needs data which will not be available if the tax return is not submitted online. “If we take paper returns then we will not get the data, as a result we will not be able to complete the process,” he added. Last September, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) had asked taxmen not to select tax returns afresh for auditing, finding the existing audit system faulty that causes unusual harassment to taxpayers. Use of discretionary power of the taxmen has been allowed to a great extent in the current audit guidelines which taxpayers often alleged as injustice to them. In a letter, the NBR had asked all field-level tax offices not to select new files for auditing until the next order issued. However, the tax returns already selected for audit would go through auditing in the normal process. 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%. NBR issues instructions on tax audit case disposal 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 is 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.  

National Board of Revenue (NBR) chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan on Sunday categorically said his organisation will not hesitate to take any decision for the benefit for the country. “We are moving towards that direction,” he said, while holding pre-budget discussion with the Newspapers Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) at NBR. He mentioned that there are three reasons behind the lower tax-GDP ratio in the country. These are: huge number of tax exemptions and its misuses, short tax net for income tax and Value Added Tax (VAT) and operational inefficiency. No VAT on purchases at supershops: NBR The revenue collecting chief said that due to the tax exemption culture, the NBR gives away the same amount of money that it collects by taxation. “We do not want to incur tax expenditure freshly,” he said. Abdur Rahman Khan said that if anyone makes small profit then that person  will give lower tax, that is the main ethos of the tax administration. He also said that due to the lack of automation, the NBR is still doing many of its duties manually. Single-window digital trade hits a milestone: NBR While placing a budget proposal for the NOAB, its president AK Azad demanded reducing import duty on newsprint to two percent, imposing VAT at 5 percent instead of 15 percent and write off corporate tax or make it nominal on newspaper industry considering it as a service industry. Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman and Financial Express Editor Shamsul Huq Zahid also spoke.

Customers will no longer have to pay Value Added Tax (VAT) for purchases at the superstrores. The retail price of the products will be the final price to pay, according to a National Board of Revenue (NBR) release. NBR reduces VAT on biscuits by half The NBR's VAT department issued a notification in this regard on Thursday. The NBR authorities and the supershop owners took the decision following several meetings. Earlier, VAT rates varied ranging from 1.5% to 5%, with a 7.5% rate applied during last year’s budget. Monetary Policy: Private sector unhappy with lower credit flow target Chain super shop owners had been objecting this for a long time.