Tarique calls for people-friendly tax system, trust in NBR
Photo: Screengrab from video.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called for the establishment of a strong, people-friendly, and corruption-free revenue system for a prosperous Bangladesh.
He said the National Board of Revenue (NBR) must be developed into an institution that the people trust, rather than fear. He emphasized that the people want to see the NBR as a trusted institution.
Tarique made these remarks on Tuesday during the inauguration of the Revenue Conference-2026 at the Bangladesh-China International Conference Center. He remarked that officials must be more sincere and responsible in revenue collection.
Noting that revenue collection was positive from mid-February to the end of June, he said this proves NBR officials are capable and can do even better.
Tarique mentioned that the government’s development planning and implementation largely depend on the success of the NBR’s activities; therefore, he stressed building a more prosperous, investment-friendly, and business-friendly revenue management system.
According to the PM the goal of modern tax administration is not just to collect more taxes; rather, it is to encourage more people to pay taxes voluntarily. While regular taxpayers should be honored, those intentionally evading taxes must also be properly encouraged to pay.
Tarique believes that the tax management and collection process needs to be simple, corruption-free, and harassment-free. He asserted, “The policy of increasing revenue by repeatedly increasing the tax burden on the same taxpayer is not sustainable; instead, it is essential to identify those capable of paying taxes and bring them under the tax net.”
To achieve this, the PM noted there is no alternative to building a digital and information-based tax administration. He also urged for a focus on ensuring that VAT management complexities do not hinder trade and commerce.
Tarique said customs, VAT, and tax collection are not just matters of law enforcement; revenue collection will become easier if a relationship of faith and trust is established between the revenue administration and taxpayers.
Calling for the NBR to become a more people-friendly and trustworthy organization, the PM added that the interests of the institution and the country must be prioritized over personal interests.
He noted that NBR was not free from the effects of the last decade and a half of rule and exploitation. Public trust in the institution was damaged due to favoritism, antagonism, and arbitrariness in revenue collection that ignored policies and rules for personal or party interests.
“Now is the time for Bangladesh to turn around. The people of the country, especially the taxpayers, want to see the NBR as a reliable and trustworthy institution. NBR officials must take the responsibility of restoring that trust through efficient and sustainable revenue management,” Tarique added.
He also highlighted the importance of increasing the skills of revenue officials to match the realities of the global economy. He mentioned that officials need knowledge on topics such as the digital economy, e-commerce, transfer pricing, international tax systems, trade finance, financial crimes, money laundering, and artificial intelligence.
The PM pointed out that the tax-to-GDP ratio in the country is still low compared to its potential and that the tax base is narrow. Since a large part of the economy is still outside the formal structure, reliance on a limited number of regular taxpayers must be reduced while strengthening the relationship of trust between taxpayers and the revenue administration.
Regarding the situation of the NBR, Tarique described an incident during the interim government’s tenure as unfortunate. He said the government wants to build the country by involving everyone and wants to view every person’s contribution with respect. While problems will exist, solutions must be found gradually through discussion.
He also assured that necessary steps would be taken to ensure a safe and comfortable work environment for government officials to avoid any kind of disorder.
The Internal Resources Division of the Ministry of Finance and the NBR jointly organized the Revenue Conference-2026, where the income tax, VAT, and customs departments presented their action plans.
Field-level officials shared their work experiences, challenges, and problems, and the Prime Minister listened and provided necessary directives. The event was presided over by the NBR Acting Chairman Ahsan Habib.
Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahamud Chowdhury and the PM’s Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir also delivered speeches, with Titumir joining online.
