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Bangladesh has faced a significant setback in revenue collection during the first nine months of the current 2025–26 fiscal year (July 2025–March 2026), with a shortfall of nearly Tk98,000 crore, according to the latest data released by the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
The deficit already exceeds the entire shortfall of the previous fiscal year by Tk5,364 crore. In FY 2024–25, the total revenue gap stood at Tk92,626 crore. Despite the widening deficit, overall revenue collection recorded a growth of 11.15 percent during the period.
Earlier, the shortfall for the first eight months (up to February) was Tk71,472 crore, meaning the gap increased by more than Tk26,000 crore in just one month.
NBR statistics show that total revenue collection during July–March of FY 2025–26 reached Tk287,862 crore, up from Tk258,996 crore during the same period last year.
However, the revised target for March was set at Tk385,852 crore, leaving a deficit of Tk97,990 crore.
In March alone, revenue collection fell short of the monthly target by around Tk26,500 crore. Year-on-year growth for March stood at just 2.67 percent.
A breakdown of the data shows that the largest shortfall occurred in income tax collection. Against a target of Tk139,118 crore for nine months, only Tk98,501 crore was collected—creating a deficit of Tk40,617 crore.
In the VAT sector, revenue collection reached Tk109,138 crore against a target of Tk143,538 crore, resulting in a shortfall of Tk34,400 crore.
Meanwhile, the customs wing collected Tk80,223 crore against a target of Tk103,196 crore, leaving a deficit of Tk22,973 crore.
Despite the overall shortfall, revenue collection growth was recorded across all major sectors: income tax grew by 11.25 percent, VAT by 13.66 percent, and customs duties by 7.77 percent during the period.
