The persistent challenge of elevating revenue collection remains the central economic puzzle that Bangladesh has attempted to solve for many years. From enacting a new income tax law in 2023 to expanding and reorganising both the Income Tax wing and the Customs and VAT wing, the government has introduced a series of initiatives designed to strengthen the institutional capacity of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and raise collections. These steps will require time before their impact becomes visible, yet the way the revenue system is currently functioning suggests that such manoeuvres may not be enough to address long-standing weaknesses.
