The proposed national budget for FY2025–26 has set a revenue collection target of Tk 5,64,000 crore, which is equal to 9% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed presented the Tk 7,90,000 crore budget proposing the new revenue collection target during his televised budget speech Monday.
“One of the goals of this year’s budget is to ensure equitable distribution of wealth and to build a discrimination-free Bangladesh. Formulation of an implementable budget maintaining the balance between revenue and expenditure is also a major goal,” he said.
Dr Salehuddin said efforts are underway to rationalize tax exemptions and achieve medium-term revenue goals through the continued initiatives of the NBR to enhance revenue collection.
He also mentioned that the NBR has been strengthened with increased manpower to support these efforts.
He said that steps are actively under consideration to gradually reduce tax exemption facilities, expand the tax net, and introduce uniform VAT rates on various goods and services where possible.
Of the total estimated revenue income of Tk 5,64,000 crore, Tk 4,99,000 crore is expected to be collected through the NBR, while the remaining Tk 65,000 crore from other sources.
The Finance Adviser noted that the budget size has been kept relatively smaller this year in a bid to keep the deficit under control and in line with prevailing realities.
Earlier in the day, the interim government’s Advisory Council approved both the proposed national budget and the Finance Bill for FY2025-26 in a meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus at his office.
