DHAKA, April 19, 2026 (BSS) - Economic experts and business leaders today laid emphasis on supportive and growth-oriented national budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2026-27 (FY27) to overcome economic hurdles.

They observed that the domestic economy is currently navigating a highly challenging landscape characterized by persistent high inflation, investment stagnation and elevated interest rates.

These hurdles, they noted, have made business operations increasingly difficult, particularly for small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) who remain the most vulnerable to these shocks.

They emphasized that the FY27 budget must proactively address these constraints to prevent further economic deceleration.

The speakers made the observation at a seminar on "National Budget 2026-2027: Private Sector Priorities and Perspectives," at a hotel in the city.

The Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dhaka (MCCI) and the Economic Reporters' Forum (ERF) jointly organised the seminar.

In the seminar, Kamran T. Rahman, MCCI president, presented a comprehensive series of recommendations for the upcoming fiscal year 2024-25, calling for a decisive transition from a punitive tax approach to a supportive and growth-oriented fiscal framework.

He underscored the necessity of a balanced and realistic policy to stimulate investment and employment. 

He also sought the continued cooperation of the media, expressing gratitude for the professional role journalists play in highlighting the critical challenges facing the private sector.

To bolster revenue collection and broaden the tax base, the MCCI president recommended the full integration of the National ID (NID) and Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) databases. 

Citing a significant discrepancy, he pointed out that while the country has over 10 million TIN holders, less than half currently file tax returns.

To address this, he suggested specific measures intended to remove the fear associated with entering the tax net, including introduction of a nominal annual tax of Tk 100 or Tk 1,000 for new taxpayers to encourage registration and development of a simplified mobile application for hassle-free return filing.

More to follow...