Dhaka: The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has announced a comprehensive waiver of all import-related duties and taxes on electric school buses. The decision, formalized under S.R.O. No. 84/Law/2026/02/Customs issued on April 27, 2026, is intended to encourage the adoption of eco-friendly transportation for students across schools, colleges, universities, and similar educational institutions, said a press release today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the move is expected to make electric buses more affordable and accelerate the shift towards sustainable mobility in the education sector. Under the new directive, imported electric school buses will enjoy full exemption from Customs Duty, Regulatory Duty, Value Added Tax, Supplementary Duty, Advance Tax, and Advance Income Tax.
The facility will apply both to educational institutions importing the buses directly and to third-party importers bringing the vehicles on behalf of such institutions strictly for student transport purposes. To ensure proper use of the facility, the NBR has introduced specific compliance requirements regarding vehicle identification. All eligible buses must be painted yellow, while the words School or College or Student Bus or Transport must be clearly inscribed on the exterior to distinguish them as dedicated student transport vehicles.
The revenue authority has also committed to expediting the approval process, stating that all applications for availing the exemption will be settled within 10 working days of submission. This is expected to facilitate faster deployment of electric buses in educational transport services.