Written by The Banking Post
A landmark initiative to strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation by linking the National Board of Revenue’s key wings has moved into operation, marking the first coordinated push to integrate income tax, VAT and customs administration under a single digital framework.
The project, financed jointly by the government and the World Bank at a cost of Tk 11.9 billion, formally began after a financing agreement was signed and preparatory work was completed. The first coordination meeting between the NBR project team and the World Bank task team was held this week at the BCS Tax Academy in Dhaka.
At the heart of the initiative is the creation of a unique identification number for taxpayers under both income tax and VAT, allowing data to flow seamlessly across systems. The project will establish interoperability among major NBR platforms, including ASYCUDA World, e-VAT, income tax systems and newly developed applications, alongside iBAS++ and other government databases.
Officials said the integrated approach is designed to overhaul revenue mobilisation in a coordinated manner while automating tax administration on a comprehensive, cloud-based platform. Improved data sharing is expected to enhance compliance, reduce leakages and strengthen coordination among the income tax, customs and VAT wings.
The project, titled Strengthening Domestic Revenue Mobilisation (SDRM), is part of the broader Strengthening Institutions, Transparency and Accountability programme aimed at improving governance.
The NBR chairman said the project received approval to start in July 2025, although preparatory steps took about six months. A government order was issued in December, and key officials, including the project director and deputy project director, have already been appointed to ensure smooth implementation. He added that the interoperability framework would eventually cover not only NBR wings but also other relevant government agencies.
The project director noted that this is the first government effort to digitise revenue administration in a combined and coordinated way. Earlier initiatives, he said, focused on individual tax segments, often resulting in coordination gaps and implementation challenges.
The SDRM project is expected to formally launch next month, with the NBR currently awaiting budget allocations to set up a dedicated project office. The programme is scheduled to run until June 30, 2030.
