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Revenue collection has rebounded strongly in the current fiscal year, growing more than 12 per cent in the first eight months after last year’s slowdown.

Data from the National Board of Revenue (NBR) show total receipts reached Tk 2.54 trillion in July–February, up from Tk 2.26 trillion in the same period a year earlier.

Despite the recovery, the collection still falls short of expectations, with a gap of nearly Tk 0.71 trillion against the target set for February.

Growth remained uneven across the months. The fiscal year began on a strong note, with revenue rising 24.6 per cent in July, followed by 18 per cent in August and 20.1 per cent in September—driving a robust first-quarter expansion of over 20 per cent.

However, momentum slowed in the following months. Growth dipped to just over 3 per cent in October, rebounded in November and December, and weakened again in January before showing modest improvement in February.

Officials say the rebound reflects a recovery from last year’s disruptions, when political unrest and a change in government dampened economic activity and tax collection.

The government has set an ambitious revenue target of Tk 5.03 trillion from the NBR for the ongoing fiscal year, slightly higher than the original budget.

Including non-NBR sources, total revenue is projected at Tk 5.64 trillion—equivalent to about 9 per cent of GDP.

While the upward trend signals improving economic activity, the persistent shortfall highlights the challenge of meeting revenue targets in a still-fragile economic environment.