The Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has warned that the government’s ambitious revenue collection target for fiscal year 2026-27 could increase the risk of harassment for taxpayers at the field level.
The concern was raised by MCCI President Kamran T Rahman during his welcome address at a post-budget discussion jointly organised by MCCI, Standard Chartered Bangladesh, and the Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh (PRI) at the chamber’s Gulshan office on Wednesday.
He noted that the National Board of Revenue (NBR) managed to collect only 65 per cent of its revised target in the outgoing fiscal year, raising questions about the feasibility of the new goal. The proposed budget has set a revenue target of Tk6.95 lakh crore, which represents an increase of more than 18.2 per cent compared to the revised target for the current fiscal year.
“Without comprehensive structural reforms, achieving this target will be extremely difficult, and the pressure to meet it may result in harassment of taxpayers at the field level,” Kamran said.
Despite the concern, he acknowledged that the budget includes several business-friendly measures. These include reforms aimed at modernising tax administration, improving digitalisation, and simplifying the ease of doing business.
Kamran stressed that the purpose of the discussion was not to analyse individual proposals in isolation, but to examine how the budget can be effectively implemented by expanding the tax base rather than placing additional burdens on existing taxpayers.
He added that the national budget reflects a country’s economic priorities and long-term development direction, especially at a time when the global economy is facing geopolitical tensions and structural challenges.
MCCI expressed hope that the discussion would contribute to improving policymaking ahead of final budget approval in parliament.
