The National Board of Revenue (NBR) will be divided into two divisions—Revenue Policy and Revenue Administration—before Eid-ul-Fitr, with the new structure set to begin operations at the start of the upcoming fiscal year.
NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan announced this development during an event on Wednesday.
“The chief advisor called me on Tuesday and stated that the ordinance will be issued before Eid,” he said.
“It will take effect from July, and we will implement it as soon as possible. We are progressing in this direction, and while initial work must begin, any disputes will be addressed later,” he added.
The chairman was speaking at a discussion titled “Income Tax Act 2023: Reforms and Perspective,” hosted by the Bangladesh Civil Service (Taxation) Association at the Revenue Building in Dhaka’s Agargaon.
Khan elaborated on how the two divisions will operate and who will be involved in the new structure. He emphasized that the core work would be managed by NBR’s tax and customs cadres.
“Those with experience in revenue management will handle these tasks primarily, with others providing auxiliary support,” he said.
“We will strictly adhere to the law without making arbitrary decisions. This change will also allow us to focus more on enforcement.”
The chairman explained that the split would provide more opportunities to take action against Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) holders who fail to file returns, as well as those registered under the Business Identification Number (BIN).
“We have always been under tremendous pressure to meet revenue targets, relying heavily on policy measures, which has led to significant losses for the state,” he said.
“Inconsistency in investment policies is a major issue, which discourages many investors. We lack good governance, with numerous laws in place but weak enforcement. The rule of law is almost nonexistent.”
“It’s not just about a narrow tax net or low tax collection—it reflects systemic governance failures,” he concluded.
