The National Board of Revenue (NBR) of Bangladesh has intensified efforts to expand the country’s tax base in a crucial bid to meet conditions tied to a $4.7 billion loan package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
With a looming deadline in June, the NBR is under pressure to raise the tax-to-GDP ratio from 7.4% to 7.9%—a target linked to unlocking the third and fourth tranches of the loan.
NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan emphasized the need to widen the tax net, revealing that while 11.5 million people have secured electronic Taxpayer Identification Numbers (e-TINs), fewer than 4.5 million filed returns, with a third of them declaring zero income.
In response, the NBR has launched a nationwide Spot Assessment initiative, mobilizing its field offices at the district and upazila levels. These on-the-spot assessments aim to directly engage individuals with taxable income who have yet to submit returns. The initiative is already seeing new taxpayer registrations and increased revenue.
“We are receiving regular updates on new taxpayer inclusion and collections from across the country,” Khan stated, urging business leaders and community influencers to assist in identifying eligible taxpayers and promoting tax compliance.
The IMF has suspended disbursement of the upcoming loan tranches due to unmet structural reform benchmarks. In a recent meeting, the Fund requested that the NBR collect an additional Tk 2 lakh crore in the coming months to stay on track.
A senior NBR official stressed that there are no fixed deadlines for new taxpayers to file, encouraging spontaneous participation. “We want new taxpayers to feel welcome anytime,” the official said.
The revenue from the expanded tax base is expected to support essential national priorities, including infrastructure, healthcare, education, and public services. The NBR believes the Spot Assessment program will foster a stronger tax culture and reinforce the country’s fiscal foundation amid growing economic demands.
report: UNB.
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