Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today emphasized making the tax management and collection procedures simple, corruption- and harassment-free and transforming the National Board of Revenue (NBR) into a trusted and people-friendly institution so that people feel comfortable paying taxes voluntarily.
“Tax management and collection procedures must be simple, corruption- and harassment-free so that people feel comfortable paying taxes voluntarily,” he said.
“Repeatedly increasing the tax burden on the same taxpayers is not a sustainable way to increase revenue. Rather, it is very necessary to identify the people who are able to pay tax and bring them under tax net through proper measures. Thus, there is no alternative to building a digitally modern, data-driven tax administration,” the premier added.
Tarique Rahman said this while addressing the Revenue Conference 2026, organized by NBR, as the chief guest at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the city.
Describing VAT as an important source of revenue in a modern economy, he said its success depends on effective implementation. The premier also stressed that complexities in VAT administration must not hamper business and trade.
“Customs, VAT or tax collection is not merely a matter of coercion. If a relationship of trust and confidence is established between taxpayers and the revenue administration, revenue collection becomes much easier,” he said, stressing the need to make the NBR an institution that people trust rather than fear.
Addressing revenue officials, the Prime Minister said, “I hope you be able to make the NBR a more trustworthy and reliable institution for the people. It is necessary to protect the interests of the institution as well as the country above all rather than individual interests.”
