The government is likely to propose major policy support and tax breaks for the creative economy and information-culture sector in the national budget for 2026-27, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud announced on Wednesday.
The initiative aims to build a world-class creative economy based on the intellect and creativity of the younger generation, he said.
An analysis of the draft budget speech and Finance Bill 2026 obtained by TIMES, together with the official budget summary, suggested that income earned from digital content creation be made fully tax-free. He also proposed extending tax exemptions on all types of income for freelancers to encourage income flow through legal banking channels.
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury is set to place the Tk9.38 lakh crore national budget for FY2026-27 on Thursday.
The VAT exemption period for the startup sector has been proposed to be extended until 2035.
The biggest changes in the culture and film sector involve duty reductions to lower technology and production costs. The existing 15 percent duty on the import of high-tech cinematographic cameras and related parts has been proposed to be reduced to 5 percent. Duties will also be reduced on spare parts for cinematographic cameras and projectors at the same rate.
To support music and creative industries, the government has proposed completely withdrawing the existing 5 percent regulatory duty on the import of musical instruments, including guitars, pianos, violins, and their parts. This is expected to make necessary equipment more accessible for music production and new artists.
Initiatives have also been taken to reduce duties on the import of Point of Sale (POS) machines to expand the digital economy and encourage digital transactions. The budget also includes a proposal to completely withdraw the 15 percent VAT imposed on content creators and freelancers.
The finance minister said these steps would help energise the industries under the information and broadcasting sector and the Ministry of Culture.
According to analysts, if implemented, these changes could help Bangladesh’s film, music, digital media, and content industry enter a new phase of growth and further strengthen the foundation of the creative economy.
