Bangladesh’s proposed national budget of Tk 9.38 trillion has drawn mixed reactions from consumers and traders, who say that despite no new taxes on essential goods, market instability persists due to high inflation. Visits to several Dhaka markets, including Karwan Bazar and Noyabazar, revealed that both buyers and sellers are struggling with rising prices of rice, lentils, oil, and eggs. Many low- and middle-income families expressed little interest in the budget, focusing instead on whether daily essentials will become more affordable.

Traders cited increased transport, fuel, and electricity costs as reasons for higher wholesale prices, while some blamed powerful syndicates for manipulating the market. Consumers voiced frustration that their incomes have not kept pace with inflation, forcing them to cut spending or rely on savings. Market analysts noted that post-budget price hikes are often psychological, exploited by unscrupulous traders seeking extra profit.

Experts warned that without stronger government monitoring and enforcement, the benefits of reduced tariffs may not reach consumers. The Consumer Association of Bangladesh urged authorities to tighten oversight to prevent further hardship for low-income households.

Bangladesh’s Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has proposed a Tk 10,350 crore allocation for the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief in the 2026–27 fiscal year budget, up from Tk 9,069 crore in the revised 2025–26 budget. The proposal was presented in parliament on Thursday under the chairmanship of Speaker Major (Retd.) M Hafizuddin, following approval by the parliamentary business advisory committee.

In his budget speech, the minister emphasized the government’s focus on sustainable disaster management and mitigation, citing recurring natural calamities such as floods, cyclones, and tidal surges. He also noted continued humanitarian assistance for over 1.1 million displaced citizens from Myanmar. The budget includes allocations for rural employment, infrastructure maintenance, and food distribution programs, as well as ongoing construction of disaster shelters and canal excavation projects.

The ministry is advancing the establishment of a National Emergency Operation Center and has purchased modern rescue equipment worth Tk 521 crore. Satellite technology is being used to strengthen disaster forecasting and riverbank monitoring, while SMS alerts and a toll-free weather information service are being expanded nationwide.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury presented the proposed national budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year in the Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday. The total ministry-wise allocation amounts to Tk 9.3 trillion, with the highest share going to the Secondary and Higher Education Division at Tk 573.02 billion. The lowest allocation was proposed for the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, receiving Tk 103.5 billion.

Other major allocations include Tk 493.87 billion for the Health Services Division, Tk 467.38 billion for the Primary and Mass Education Ministry, Tk 424.97 billion for the Defence Ministry, Tk 402.46 billion for the Local Government Division, Tk 369.18 billion for the Road Transport and Highways Division, and Tk 310.99 billion for the Home Ministry. The total proposed budget size stands at Tk 9.38 trillion, up from Tk 7.88 trillion in the revised 2025–26 budget.

The government set a revenue target of Tk 6.95 trillion. Operating expenditure is projected at Tk 6.0574 trillion, while total development spending, including the Annual Development Programme, is set at Tk 3.16075 trillion to sustain infrastructure growth.

In the proposed national budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year, Bangladesh’s Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has announced the continuation of an environmental surcharge for individuals owning more than one motor vehicle. The proposal, presented in Parliament on Thursday, specifies that each additional vehicle registered under a person’s name will incur a surcharge based on engine capacity or kilowatt rating.

According to the proposal, vehicles up to 1500cc or 75 kilowatts will be charged 25,000 taka each, while those between 1500cc and 2000cc will face a 50,000 taka surcharge. The rates increase progressively, reaching 350,000 taka for vehicles exceeding 3500cc or 175 kilowatts. The lowest-rated vehicle owned by an individual will be exempt from the surcharge calculation. The tax will be collected at the time of vehicle registration or fitness renewal by the relevant authorities.

The measure aims to maintain environmental accountability among vehicle owners and is part of broader fiscal proposals for the upcoming financial year.

The proposed national budget for fiscal year 2026–27 includes an allocation of Tk 196.58 crore for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Of this amount, Tk 187 crore is designated for operational expenses and around Tk 10 crore for development projects. In the previous fiscal year 2025–26, the ACC’s proposed allocation was Tk 191 crore, later revised to about Tk 203 crore, making the new proposal slightly lower than the revised figure.

According to the budget document, the ACC plans to strengthen its institutional capacity, expand anti-corruption awareness, and promote social movements against corruption. The commission will form 13-member metropolitan and district committees, 9-member upazila committees, and new union-level committees to institutionalize anti-corruption efforts nationwide. Infrastructure development plans include constructing new divisional offices in Khulna, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Barishal, and Sylhet, and expanding the Mymensingh office.

The ACC will also enhance information technology capacity and expand its “Satata Sangha” program in educational institutions to foster integrity among youth. Activities such as honesty stores and public hearings will continue to encourage civic participation.

The government of Bangladesh has proposed a 25 percent fare discount for citizens aged 65 years or older and for persons with disabilities or special needs when traveling by train or metro. The proposal is included in the upcoming national budget for the next fiscal year, aiming to make public transport more inclusive and affordable for vulnerable groups.

Alongside this measure, the government has outlined several major infrastructure projects to modernize the country’s communication network. These include connecting national highways to international routes, upgrading major economic corridors to four lanes, and implementing bus route rationalization in urban areas. Plans also cover the construction of a second Jamuna Bridge, the Dhaka–Chattogram elevated expressway, and the introduction of electronic toll and smart traffic systems.

The budget further envisions replacing old buses with electric ones, expanding the rail network to all districts, and developing a 3,000-kilometer expressway grid. It also includes initiatives to enhance port capacity and establish Cox’s Bazar, Jashore, Rajshahi, and Saidpur as international gateways.

Bangladesh Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury announced that the corporate tax rate will remain unchanged for the upcoming fiscal year. The existing rate from the current fiscal year will continue, with the decision aimed at maintaining policy consistency and providing long-term tax certainty for investors.

Although the rate will not change immediately, the minister stated that efforts will be made to gradually reduce corporate taxes in the future by expanding the overall tax base to ensure adequate revenue collection. He also emphasized simplifying tax administration and making it more business-friendly.

The minister proposed several targeted tax incentives, including zero percent turnover tax for startups and technology-based enterprises, tax exemptions for SME entrepreneurs up to 5 million taka and for women and disabled entrepreneurs up to 7 million taka, zero percent tax for solar power investments until 2035, and full tax exemption for edible oil production using domestic seeds for the first five years, followed by partial exemption for the next five years.

The government of Bangladesh has announced an expansion of its social protection programs aimed at improving the welfare of women and children. Under the Mother and Child Support Program, a total of 1,895,200 mothers will receive a monthly allowance of 850 taka. Additionally, 60 new modern day-care centers will be established across the country to support working parents and enhance child care services.

The plan also includes extending the Vulnerable Women Benefit (VWB) program to 1.04 million families, each receiving 30 kilograms of rice per month. The number of widowed and husband-abandoned women receiving allowances will be increased by 100,000, raising the total to 3 million beneficiaries, each entitled to a monthly payment of 700 taka.

These initiatives reflect the government’s continued focus on strengthening social safety nets and supporting vulnerable groups, particularly women and children, through direct financial and service-based assistance.

The proposed Bangladesh national budget for fiscal year 2026–27 has made only a minimal increase in the price of low-tier cigarettes and kept taxes on bidi, gul, and jorda unchanged. According to research and advocacy groups PROGGA and ATMA, the lack of reform in the tobacco tax structure and the failure to introduce a specific excise system will make tobacco products more affordable in real terms, potentially increasing consumption and related health risks. The groups warn that the government will also lose the opportunity to raise significant additional revenue.

Under the proposal, the price of a 10-stick pack of low-tier cigarettes would rise by only 2 taka to 62 taka, a 3.33 percent increase, far below the 10.27 percent growth in per capita income. Prices for mid-tier, high-tier, and premium cigarettes would rise by 15, 14.29, and 13.51 percent respectively. PROGGA and ATMA argue that merging the lower tiers and introducing a specific tax could generate about 440 billion taka in extra revenue and prevent roughly 400,000 premature deaths.

The budget also proposes new taxes on nicotine pouches and heated tobacco but ignores the Health Ministry’s call to ban them, raising further public health concerns.

Bangladesh is set to require all business entities to obtain a Business Identification Number (BIN) for accessing seven types of financial and utility services. According to a proposed amendment to the Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty Act, 2012, businesses must present a BIN when opening or operating current or STD accounts in banks or non-bank financial institutions.

The amendment further stipulates that a BIN or proof of registration will be mandatory for obtaining loans from financial institutions, renewing trade licenses, opening merchant accounts for mobile financial services, acquiring or renewing membership in trade organizations, securing electricity and gas connections in a company’s name, and registering vehicles for business use with the BRTA. Officials from the National Board of Revenue (NBR) said the move is part of a broader effort to expand the VAT coverage.

The proposal reflects the government’s ongoing initiative to formalize business operations and strengthen tax compliance through digital identification and registration systems.

The Bangladesh government has proposed raising the excise duty exemption limit on bank deposits in the 2026–27 fiscal year budget. Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury announced in Parliament that depositors with up to four lakh taka in their bank accounts will not have to pay excise duty from the next fiscal year. The measure aims to provide relief to small depositors.

Currently, excise duty is charged annually on bank accounts with deposits of three lakh taka or more. The new proposal increases this threshold to four lakh taka. The finance minister also stated that excise duty will be deducted only once against a single loan account, even if multiple deals or accounts are linked to it.

The proposed 2026–27 budget totals 9.38 trillion taka, with a revenue target of 6.95 trillion taka and a deficit of 2.43 trillion taka. The government plans to finance the deficit through both domestic and foreign sources.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has proposed formulating regulations for establishing air cargo operator stations to improve logistics services. He made the announcement on Thursday, June 11, while presenting the proposed national budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year in the Jatiya Sangsad. The initiative aims to involve leading global logistics companies and domestic private sector actors in air cargo clearance operations.

According to the minister, implementing the new regulations would gradually transform Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet international airports into full-fledged logistics hubs, significantly expanding the country’s e-commerce sector. The budget also includes a proposal to issue regulations for private port and terminal operators to enhance port services to international standards and attract greenfield investments.

The proposed national budget for 2026–27 totals Tk 9.38 trillion, with a revenue target of Tk 6.95 trillion and a deficit of Tk 2.43 trillion. The government plans to finance the gap through domestic and foreign sources, including loans and grants, with the new fiscal year taking effect on July 1.

Bangladesh has been named the theme country at the 10th China–South Asia Expo and 30th China Kunming Import and Export Fair 2026, inaugurated at the Dianchi International Convention and Exhibition Center in Kunming, Yunnan Province. Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said the participation reflects the growing strategic and economic partnership between Bangladesh and China. The event, running until June 16, features around 2,300 exhibitors from 68 countries.

Bangladesh’s pavilion, inaugurated by Minister Muktadir and Yunnan Governor Wang Yubo, showcases key export sectors including ready-made garments, textiles, pharmaceuticals, jute goods, leather, plastics, and handicrafts. A record 101 Bangladeshi companies with 175 representatives are participating under the Export Promotion Bureau’s management and the Bangladesh Consulate in Kunming’s support.

On the sidelines, China’s Vice Minister of Commerce Yan Dong met with Bangladesh’s commerce minister to discuss trade and investment expansion. The Expo will also host a “Bangladesh Day” on June 12 to highlight the country’s economic progress and export potential.

Bangladesh’s proposed national budget for fiscal year 2026–27 includes significant tax reductions to promote electric vehicles (EVs) and reduce reliance on petrol and diesel cars. Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury presented the proposal in parliament, suggesting that total taxes on imported EVs priced up to USD 25,000 be reduced from 93% to 64%, and for those up to USD 50,000 to 80%. Import duties on EV chargers and charging stations would drop from 39.75% to zero. Conversely, taxes on petrol and diesel vehicles would rise from 132.36% to 155.88% to discourage their use.

The proposal also includes lower duties for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and full tax exemptions for electric buses used by educational institutions until 2030. Local EV assembly and parts manufacturing would receive extensive duty waivers, with varying rates based on value addition. Additionally, the government plans to exempt raw materials for lithium-ion and sodium-ion battery production from all duties and taxes through 2030.

These measures aim to encourage domestic EV production, reduce environmental pollution, and strengthen energy security while maintaining incentives for shipbuilding and dredger industries until 2030.

The Bangladesh government has announced a new pay scale for public officials and employees, marking the first revision in 11 years. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury made the announcement while presenting the 2026–27 national budget in parliament on Thursday. The new salary structure will come into effect on July 1 and will be implemented in phases. According to the minister, allocations for this sector will increase by about 96 percent to support the new structure.

In his budget speech, the finance minister noted that government employees have been receiving salaries under the same structure for over a decade, during which inflation and living costs have risen significantly. The new pay scale aims to improve the living standards of government workers and enhance administrative efficiency.

The government also stated that the initiative is part of broader efforts to reduce economic, social, and infrastructural disparities across regions and ensure equitable development nationwide.