ICAB-FE pre-budget roundtable discussion: Taxpayers to see how their money is spent from upcoming budget: Titumir
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir on Thursday said taxpayers will be able to see how their money is being spent from the upcoming national budget.
The government plans to introduce specialized tax receipts from the next national budget, which will clearly show how citizens’ tax contributions are allocated across key sectors such as education, health, and social security.
Speaking at a pre-budget discussion organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB) and The Financial Express held at the CA Bhaban in the city, Titumir outlined a plan aimed at rebuilding trust between citizens and the state.
“When citizens pay taxes in the future, they will receive an acknowledgement receipt clearly stating what percentage of the budget has been allocated to education, health and social safety programmes,” he said.
Dr. Titumir stressed that the government’s reform strategy is built on two core principles-connection and disconnection-to strengthen trust in the tax system.
He explained that disconnection aims to reduce direct interaction between taxpayers and tax officials to minimize corruption, while connection focuses on making citizens aware of how their taxes are used.
“Social trust between the state and citizens must be established; otherwise, tax fraud and evasion will not decrease,” he said, adding that transparency in public expenditure is essential for rebuilding that trust.
The adviser noted that Bangladesh’s current tax-to-GDP ratio stands at 6.67 percent, describing it as one of the lowest globally.
He said this reflects a long-standing structural weakness in the fiscal system.
He also pointed to what he termed a culture of political patronage, arguing that entrenched cronyist forces have contributed to tax evasion and weakened the integrity of the tax system over time.
Dr. Titumir said the government’s strategy now prioritizes expanding the economy and improving internal resource mobilization rather than merely increasing tax rates.
He identified employment generation as a key driver of higher direct tax collection.
while speaking as a panellist at the event, Showkat Aziz Russell, President of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) called for ensuring greater transparency in how tax revenue is spent before asking businesses to carry a heavier tax burden.
Russell said digital accounting and modern tools can help improve transparency, but such measures will not deliver results unless they are backed by meaningful policy reforms.
The roundtable included participation from leading business figures and policy experts, who called for a simplified tax structure and reduced bureaucratic complexity to encourage compliance.
Among the speakers were representatives from the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham), ICAB, and The Financial Express.
