H1 tax revenue posts double-digit growth

The tax revenue collection posted double-digit growth, more than 14 per cent, in the first half of the current fiscal year (H1), but the gains were not enough to offset a widening gap against official targets.
Provisional figures show that while domestic revenue mobilisation improved year on year, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) remains under mounting pressure to accelerate collections in the second half (H2) of FY 2025-26.
With more than Tk 3.0 trillion still needed to meet the full-year goal, the latest data underscore the scale of the challenge facing the revenue authority amid a slowing economy and rising fiscal demands.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) recorded a revenue shortfall of nearly Tk 460 billion during the July-December period, according to provisional data released on Tuesday.
Despite missing the target, domestic revenue mobilisation showed stronger growth compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.
Provisional figures indicate that the NBR collected Tk 1.85 trillion in tax revenue during the first six months of FY26, up from Tk 1.62 trillion in the same period last year.
However, the revenue target for the period was set at Tk 2.31 trillion.
To achieve the full-year revenue target of Tk 4.99 trillion, the NBR will need to mobilise Tk 3.14 trillion in the remaining six months of the fiscal year.
Wing-wise data show that the VAT wing recorded the highest growth, at nearly 20 per cent, followed by income tax at around 15 per cent and customs duty at about 7 per cent.
Meanwhile, revenue collection growth in December stood at 10.25 per cent, reflecting a moderation in momentum toward the end of the year's first half.
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