The Prime Minister voiced the administration’s resolve to overhaul the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the broader tax ecosystem into a people-oriented service where citizens feel trust rather than intimidation.
Economic Reporter : Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday emphasized the necessity of expanding Bangladesh’s tax net instead of imposing heavier financial burdens on existing taxpayers, stressing that a modernized, digitalized, and data-driven revenue setup is vital for sustainable fiscal growth.
Speaking as the chief guest at the Revenue Conference 2026 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital, the Prime Minister highlighted that the country’s tax-to-GDP ratio remains disproportionately low relative to its economic potential. He noted that the tax base remains narrow, placing the majority of the financial obligation on a limited pool of compliant citizens.
“Repeatedly increasing the tax burden on the same taxpayers is not a sustainable policy for increasing revenue,” the Prime Minister remarked, urging officials to identify non-paying individuals who possess taxable capacity and bring them into the system through target-oriented mechanisms. He added that establishing a modern, digital, and data-centric tax framework is essential to achieve this objective.
The Prime Minister voiced the administration’s resolve to overhaul the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the broader tax ecosystem into a people-oriented service where citizens feel trust rather than intimidation.
“After the period of fascism, it is now time for us to turn around — in other words, it is time for Bangladesh to turn around. The people of the country expect the NBR to be a reliable and trustworthy institution. Taxpayers, in particular, want to see the NBR as an institution they can trust,” he stated.
Underscoring that robust and transparent revenue management is the key to gaining public confidence, he told NBR officials, “You must take the necessary steps to meet the expectations of taxpayers. The present government wants to transform the NBR and the overall revenue structure into a people-friendly system.”
Urging all personnel to display commitment toward building a prosperous nation, he added: “We all need patriotism and sincerity. Let us work together to build a strong revenue system…I wish success to this revenue conference with the expectation of a more prosperous, more investment-friendly and more business-friendly revenue management system.”
Highlighting recent performance, PM Tarique Rahman praised the positive revenue collection trend recorded between mid-February and the end of June.
“I want to speak of a hope, a possibility and an expectation. Revenue collection remained positive from the middle of February until the end of June,” he said, encouraging the workforce by adding, “This proves that you can do it. You are the ones who can do it, and you certainly will be able to do it, Insha-Allah.”
The Revenue Conference 2026 was jointly organized by the NBR and the Internal Resources Division (IRD) under the Ministry of Finance.
During the event, field-level customs and tax officials from the income tax, value-added tax (VAT), and customs wings shared operational insights, practical challenges, and suggestions regarding tax administration, alongside presentations on overall revenue management.
