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withdrawn NBR's authority to grant tax exemptions without parliamentary 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.