Dhaka: The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has released the Authentic English Text of three major revenue laws – the Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty Act, 2012, the Customs Act, 2023, and the Income Tax Act, 2023 – through official gazette notifications, fulfilling a long-standing demand of domestic and foreign investors, professionals, and policy analysts.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the absence of authoritative English versions of these laws and the rules framed under them had posed challenges for local and international investors, researchers, and professional institutions for years. Foreign investors, in particular, depend on precise English legal texts to evaluate Bangladesh’s fiscal regulations before making investment decisions. The lack of such texts often led to confusion and hindered investment assessments, as noted in an NBR press release.
Bangladesh enacted two new laws – the Income Tax Act, 2023, and the Customs Act, 2023 – replacing the Income Tax Ordinance, 1984, and the Customs Act, 1969. Since these enactments, the demand for their Authentic English Text, along with that of the VAT law, had become stronger. Officers from the Income Tax and Customs cadres dedicated extensive efforts over an extended period to prepare the English versions.
These drafts underwent several rounds of scrutiny by expert review committees, after which they were sent to the Legislative Division for vetting. The Legislative Division meticulously reviewed the laws, provided recommendations, and, after completing the vetting process, forwarded the texts to BG Press for publication as government gazette notifications.
The Authentic English Text of the Income Tax Act, 2023 was published on 16 October 2025 under SRO No. 404-Law/2025. The English version of the Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty Act, 2012 was published on 13 November 2025 under SRO No. 440-Law/2025/326-Mushak, and on the same day, the Authentic English Text of the Customs Act, 2023 was issued under SRO No. 441-Law/2025. Earlier, on 10 November 2025, the English version of the Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty Rules, 2016 was published under SRO No. 439-Law (Translation)/2025.
The NBR believes that the publication of these English texts will eliminate ambiguity and ensure clarity in the implementation of revenue-related laws. With accessible and authoritative English versions, both local and foreign investors, as well as taxpayers, will be able to understand legal provisions more accurately, which is expected to enhance confidence in Bangladesh’s tax and customs system.
The initiative is also anticipated to help promote a more transparent, business-friendly environment in the country. The NBR has expressed gratitude to serving and retired officers of the Income Tax and Customs cadres who contributed to the preparation of the English versions, acknowledging their professionalism and dedication. It also recognised the technical and financial support provided by the World Bank and other development partners that assisted in completing this significant task.