Political will key to good tax governance: NBR chairman

Chairman of National Board of Revenue (NBR), Md Abdur Rahman Khan, on Saturday emphasized the critical role of political will in ensuring good governance in the country’s tax management system.

Speaking at a shadow parliament debate on tax reform, organized by Debate for Democracy at FDC in Dhaka, he stated, “It is difficult to ensure good governance in tax administration if political will is not properly reflected. However, thanks to the current government’s commitment, decision-making in this area has become easier.”

The NBR chief pointed out that currently, the volume of tax exemptions granted often exceeds the amount of tax collected. To address this imbalance, the government is moving to reform existing tax laws.

“Going forward, tax exemptions will not be given arbitrarily. Only the Parliament will have the authority to approve exemptions through the finance bill, and only in the national interest,” he said.

Abdur Rahman also admitted to systemic weaknesses in controlling under-invoicing and over-invoicing in import-export transactions.

“In today’s digital age, the global price of any product is easily accessible. Banks and customs officials should verify product pricing when issuing letters of credit,” he noted, adding that mispricing distorts fair competition and undermines honest taxpayers.

Corruption within the tax system remains a major challenge, he acknowledged. “Only through accountability and sound governance can we eliminate corruption in taxation,” he stressed.

Another pressing issue, he said, is the lack of tax education in the country. “Tax as a subject is barely present even in higher education. To build a tax-conscious society, we must integrate tax education at all levels—from primary to tertiary,” the NBR chairman said.

The event was chaired by Debate for Democracy Chairman Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron and featured a student-led shadow parliament discussion focused on reforms to improve the efficiency and transparency of Bangladesh’s tax administration.