DHAKA : Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today emphasized making the tax management and collection procedures simple, corruption- and harassment-free and transforming the National Board of Revenue (NBR) into a trusted and people-friendly institution so that people feel comfortable paying taxes voluntarily.

"Tax management and collection procedures must be simple, corruption- and harassment-free so that people feel comfortable paying taxes voluntarily," he said.

"Repeatedly increasing the tax burden on the same taxpayers is not a sustainable way to increase revenue. Rather, it is very necessary to identify the people who are able to pay tax and bring them under tax net through proper measures. Thus, there is no alternative to building a digitally modern, data-driven tax administration," the premier added.

Tarique Rahman said this while addressing the Revenue Conference 2026, organized by NBR, as the chief guest at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the city.

Describing VAT as an important source of revenue in a modern economy, he said its success depends on effective implementation. The premier also stressed that complexities in VAT administration must not hamper business and trade.

"Customs, VAT or tax collection is not merely a matter of coercion. If a relationship of trust and confidence is established between taxpayers and the revenue administration, revenue collection becomes much easier," he said, stressing the need to make the NBR an institution that people trust rather than fear.

Addressing revenue officials, the Prime Minister said, "I hope you be able to make the NBR a more trustworthy and reliable institution for the people. It is necessary to protect the interests of the institution as well as the country above all rather than individual interests."

Noting that it is time to 'turn around' in the fascism-free Bangladesh, the Prime Minister said, "We took charge of running the state amid a fragile economy. In a Bangladesh free from fascism, it is now our turn to bounce back. It is Bangladesh's turn to bounce back."

In this case, he said, the success of the government's development plan adoption and implementation largely depends on the success of all the activities of the National Board of Revenue.

Stating that people, particularly taxpayers, now expect the NBR to become a reliable and trustworthy institution, the premier said, it is possible to gain the public trust through efficient and sustainable revenue management. 

Urging the revenue officials to take responsibility for meeting taxpayers' expectations by establishing an efficient and sustainable revenue management system, he said, "The present government wants to transform the NBR and the overall revenue structure into a people-friendly system."

Referring to the fascist regime, the Prime Minister said the NBR, like other state institutions, could not remain free from the "curse" of one-and-a-half decades of fascist rule and exploitation.

He said that the institution had been questioned through arbitrary revenue collection, disregard for rules and policies, patronage of individuals or groups for personal or partisan interests, and discriminatory treatment.

"These were among the reasons for the erosion of public confidence in the NBR. But in a Bangladesh free from fascism, it is now our turn to bounce back," he said.

Tarique Rahman said the global economy is changing rapidly with the emergence of advanced technologies, changing patterns of international trade, new business models and evolving international taxation and revenue management systems.

He said revenue officials now need multidimensional skills to address the economic challenges and opportunities of the changing world.

"Clear knowledge of digital economy, e-commerce, transfer pricing, international taxation, trade and financial crimes, money laundering and artificial intelligence is now essential," the Prime Minister said.

Noting that Bangladesh's tax-to-GDP ratio remains significantly below its potential, while a large part of the economy is still informal, Tarique said and called for reducing dependence on existing regular taxpayers and strengthening the relationship of trust between taxpayers and the revenue administration.

He said the objective of modern tax administration around the world is not merely to collect more taxes, but also to encourage a larger number of people to pay taxes voluntarily.

Just as the state will honor a taxpayer who is paying low taxes, it is necessary to make those who are deliberately evading taxes appropriately motivated to pay taxes, the premier said.

He said his government wants to build a "new Bangladesh" by taking everyone along and respecting every citizen's contribution.

"Problems exist and will continue to exist. We will try to find solutions to them gradually through discussion," Tarique Rahman said.

He urged government officials to work for nation-building safely and confidently, saying, "From the government's position, we will definitely try to prioritize the issues that are important for the country's interests."

He noted that revenue collection remained positive from mid-February to the end of June, which, he said, demonstrated the capacity of revenue officials.

"This proves that you can do it. You certainly can, InShaAllah. What we all need is patriotism and sincerity. Let us work together to build a strong revenue system for a prosperous Bangladesh," Tarique Rahman said.

The conference was featured with an open discussion on revenue collection.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Prime Minister's Finance and Planning Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir also spoke at the vent.

Later, the Prime Minister joined a photo session with senior NBR officials and visited NBR stalls on the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre premises, where he viewed various presentations on digital screens.