The country鈥檚 revenue collection witnessed an increase of 24.32 per cent to Tk 27,247 crore in July, the first month of the financial year 2025-26, according to the National Board of Revenue data.
During the mentioned period of the last financial year 2024-25, the revenue board collected Tk聽21,916.08 crore.
Meanwhile, the collection was 9.51 per cent or Tk 2,864 crore lower from the target of Tk 30,110.96 crore, set by the NBR, for July of FY26.
During the period, collection from customs was Tk 9601 crore, which was 17.51 per cent higher from Tk聽8170.49 crore of July of FY25.
Revenue collection from VAT section was Tk聽11,752 in July of FY26, a 32.45 per cent higher than Tk8,570.9 crore of July of last financial year.
Moreover, fetching a growth of 21.63 per cent, the revenue collection from the income tax sector stood at Tk 6,294 crore, which was Tk 5,174.69 crore, NBR data said.
Still, the revenue collection from indirect sources was higher than direct sources in July, the NBR data showed.
For FY26, the government set a revenue collection target of Tk 4,99,000 crore through the NBR, which was about 8 per cent of the total GDP.
To reach the target, Bangladesh has to collect revenue by about Tk 40,000 crore per month.
In FY25, the NBR faced a record revenue collection shortfall of Tk 92,625 by collecting Tk 3,70,874 crore, which was about 3.08 per cent lower than Tk 3,82,678 crore in FY24.
The revised target for revenue collection was Tk 463,500 crore in FY25.
Professor Mustafizur Rahman, distinguished fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue, told 抖阴精品 that Bangladesh has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios globally, which is responsible for lower public expenditure, loan dependency of the government, and widening inequality.
He stated that the higher dependency on indirect tax, about 60 per cent, was widening the inequality in society.
He said that to raise the morale of NBR officials, an inclusive reform would be necessary, which could accelerate revenue collection.
鈥楾o reduce the deficit, we must close tax loopholes and ensure good governance by addressing zero tolerance on tax defaulters,鈥� he added.
He also urged for a comprehensive digitalisation of the tax sector along with administrative and institutional reforms.
In a statement, NBR public relations officer Al Amin Sheikh said that to sustain the trend of revenue collection in the future, the NBR would undertake effective initiatives to strengthen further the efforts of officials and employees engaged in income tax, value-added tax, and customs duty collection.