Staff Reporter :
The proposed national budget for the fiscal year 2025–26 sets a revenue collection target of Tk5.64 lakh crore, amounting to 9 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed announced the Tk7.90 lakh crore budget during a televised speech on Monday (2 June), outlining plans to boost revenue through ongoing reforms by the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
He stated that efforts are in progress to rationalise tax exemptions and pursue medium-term revenue objectives. To support this, the NBR has been reinforced with additional manpower.
Salehuddin added that steps are under active consideration to gradually phase out certain tax exemption facilities, broaden the tax base, and introduce uniform VAT rates on eligible goods and services where feasible.
Of the total targeted revenue, Tk4.99 lakh crore is expected from NBR collections, with the remaining Tk65,000 crore projected from other sources.
This marks Salehuddin’s first budget presentation in nearly 15 years since his term as governor of Bangladesh Bank. He noted that the overall budget size has been kept conservative to manage the fiscal deficit in line with current economic conditions.
“Given the ongoing political unrest, the budget seeks to offer some relief to low-income groups,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the Advisory Council of the interim government approved both the proposed budget and the Finance Bill for FY2025–26 in a meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
