DHAKA, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS) - The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has  undertaken a series of significant epoch making reforms in revenue  management, trade facilitation, digitalization and tax base expansion during  the tenure of the interim government, aiming to make the tax system more  transparent, modern and accountable. A major milestone was achieved with the promulgation of the Revenue Policy  and Revenue Management Ordinance, 2025, separating revenue policy formulation  from revenue administration.  The decision was approved at a meeting of the National Implementation  Committee for Administrative Reform (NICAR) chaired by the Honorable Chief  Adviser, through amendments to the Rules of Business and Allocation of  Business. As a result of enhanced monitoring, transparency and anti-evasion measures,  revenue collection gained strong momentum. During July-December of the  current fiscal year, NBR collected Taka 1,85,229 crore, which is Tk 23,020  crore higher than the collection during the same period of the previous  fiscal year, said an NBR press release today. In infrastructure development, an international tender has been issued for  constructing a world-class Customs House and Customs Academy in Chattogram  with World Bank financing. The tender process for a modern tax building in  Chattogram under government funding has been completed, while the newly built  Khulna Tax Building will be inaugurated on January 29. To strengthen long-term revenue capacity, NBR has adopted a 10-year Medium  and Long-Term Revenue Strategy (MLTRS) targeting higher revenue-to-GDP ratio.  At the same time, the World Bank-funded Strengthening Domestic Revenue  Mobilization Project (SDRMP), costing around Taka 1,000 crore, is being  implemented to fully digitalize NBR operations. To curb excessive tax exemptions, the Tax Expenditure Policy and Management  Framework (TEPMF) has been published in the gazette. Amendments to the Income  Tax Act 2023, Customs Act 2023 and VAT and Supplementary Duty Act 2012 have  withdrawn NBR's authority to grant tax exemptions without parliamentary  approval. The Authentic English Texts of major tax and customs laws have been  published, reducing ambiguity and boosting investor confidence. To improve  taxpayer services and compliance, 13,500 Income Tax Practitioners (ITPs) have  been certified through competitive examinations. In a major digital leap, importers and exporters can now pay duties and taxes  directly to the government treasury online through the A-Challan system,  integrated with ASYCUDA World and iBAS++. Tax payments through mobile  financial services, including bKash without charges, have also been  introduced. Trade facilitation has been prioritized through monthly stakeholder meetings  where business representatives directly present customs, VAT and income tax  issues to NBR leadership. To enhance cyber security, a 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC) has been  established at NBR in line with National Cyber Security Agency guidelines. In the public interest, excise duty on Hajj airline tickets for 2025 and 2026  has been exempted, while VAT on metro rail services has been waived until  June 30, 2026. To keep essential commodity prices affordable, duties and  taxes on items such as rice, onions, sugar, edible oil and eggs have been  reduced or exempted. Import duty on dates has been cut by 40 percent ahead of  Ramadan. New passenger-friendly baggage rules now allow travelers to bring one mobile  phone per year duty-free, while eligible expatriates may bring two. Customs  duty on mobile phone imports has been reduced from 25 percent to 10 percent,  with parallel reductions for local assemblers to protect domestic industry. In the VAT sector, online registration, e-returns, e-payment, e-refund and  risk-based audits have been introduced. A special VAT registration drive in  December 2025 brought 1.31 lakh new businesses under VAT, raising total  registrations to 7.75 lakh. Online VAT refund modules now enable direct transfer of refunds to taxpayers'  bank accounts. In income tax, online return filing has been made mandatory  for most taxpayers, with over 34 lakh e-returns already submitted this fiscal  year. Special facilities have been introduced for expatriate Bangladeshis,  resulting in over 5,000 overseas taxpayers filing online. Customs reforms include the launch of the Bangladesh Single Window (BSW),  connecting 19 agencies and enabling issuance of nearly 9 lakh certificates  and permits online. New licensing rules for shipping agents and C&F agents  have been introduced to ensure transparency and competition. Overall, through policy reforms, digital transformation and administrative  strengthening, NBR has demonstrated visible progress in revenue management  during the interim government period, contributing to fiscal stability and  sustainable economic development.