Revenue management in the digital age

According to news reports, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has made it mandatory for all individual taxpayers to file income tax returns online through a special order. The response has been overwhelming. According to NBR data, about 4.553 million taxpayers have registered in the e-return system, and 3.188 million taxpayers have filed e-returns for the tax year 2025-26.

This strong response has been made possible by the introduction of harassment-free e-return filing. While expatriates were not previously required to file e-returns, the new system has encouraged Bangladeshi expatriates to pay taxes voluntarily.

If the tax collection process is digitised gradually in this manner, taxpayers will be relieved of harassment, while tax revenue would likely rise significantly.

The role of technology is expanding rapidly across the world, increasingly connecting every aspect of life. Technology is advancing humanity, bringing distant places closer and linking opposite ends of the globe with a single click. Today, billions of dollars can be transferred instantly across countries-a convenience that was unimaginable even a decade ago.

With these technological advancements now at people's fingertips, we too are embracing them in step with the times.

Currently, e-returns are only available for individual taxpayers, while institutions have not yet been included. It is now time to extend e-return facilities to other levels of tax payment. Doing so would make the nation more dynamic and enable it to keep pace with global standards.

Md. Noor Hamza Peash

LL.B. Student

World University of Bangladesh (WUB)