New entity registration with RJSC up 25pc in FY'26

Bangladesh recorded a strong rebound in new business formation in the just-concluded fiscal year (FY) 2025-26, with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC) registering the highest number of new entities in four years alongside a record increase in revenue earnings.
According to official RJSC data, 12,786 entities were registered during FY2025-26, compared with 10,225 in the previous fiscal year, representing an increase of 25.0 per cent.
The surge in registrations coincided with a sharp rise in the registrar's earnings. RJSC collected Tk 3.81 billion in total revenue during FY2025-26, up from Tk 2.43 billion a year earlier, registering an increase of 56.6 per cent, the highest annual collection on record.
The total revenue comprised Tk 2.09 billion in non-tax revenue, Tk 1.40 billion in stamp duty and Tk 318.54 million in value-added tax (VAT).
Non-tax revenue -- the registrar's principal source of income from registration fees and statutory services -- increased to Tk 2.09 billion from Tk 1.34 billion, posting a 55.3 per cent year-on-year growth.
Stamp duty collection also rose significantly by 58.0 per cent, from Tk 886.68 million to Tk 1.40 billion, while VAT receipts climbed 58.3 per cent, from Tk 201.22 million to Tk 318.54 million.
The growth was driven mainly by increased company registrations and higher demand for statutory filing and compliance services.
A total of 8,494 companies were incorporated during FY2025-26, compared with 7,371 in FY2024-25, representing an increase of 15.2 per cent.
The most notable growth came from One Person Companies (OPCs). Registrations jumped from 244 in FY2024-25 to 818 in FY2025-26, an increase of 235.2 per cent, reflecting growing interest among individual entrepreneurs in formalising their businesses.
Registrations of societies also rose sharply to 941, compared with 123 in the previous fiscal year, marking an increase of 665.0 per cent.
Meanwhile, partnership firm registrations increased marginally to 2,526 from 2,479, a rise of 1.9 per cent. Trade organisation registrations rose from four to six, while registrations of Section 28 (not-for-profit) companies declined from four to one. The latest figures mark a reversal of the downward trend seen over the previous three fiscal years.
Total registrations had declined from 14,826 in FY2020-21 to 13,485 in FY2021-22, 10,738 in FY2022-23, 10,267 in FY2023-24 and 10,225 in FY2024-25 before recovering strongly this fiscal year.
RJSC's cumulative database now contains 316,150 registered entities as of June 2026, including 228,073 private limited companies, 3,895 public limited companies, 63,309 partnership firms, 16,917 societies, 1,279 foreign companies, 1,222 trade organisations and 1,455 One Person Companies.
The registrar also handled a large volume of compliance work during the year. It received 293,894 statutory returns, disposed of 291,962 documents, and recorded 376,560 returns in its database.
AKM Nurunnabi Kabir, Registrar of RJSC&F, said the simultaneous increase in new business registrations, statutory filings and compliance activities contributed to the record revenue collection, indicating expanding formalisation of businesses and stronger demand for corporate registration and regulatory services in Bangladesh.

bdsmile@gmail.com