This quarterly newsletter covers income tax, VAT and customs changes issued in Bangladesh between January and March 2026, with the SRO or press release reference for each item.

Income tax: a press release of 5 March 2026 makes it mandatory for tax officials to use the ASYCUDA Business Intelligence server to verify import values and advance income tax (AIT) during assessments, with Inspectorate Range Officers sharing the data with assessing officers. NBR states that this will speed up assessments and refunds and ensure correct AIT credit.

VAT and customs: SRO No. 15 of 13 January 2026 cuts customs duty on smartphones and other cellular or wireless telephones from 25% to 10%. SRO No. 16 cuts duty on imported mobile phone components from 10% to 5% until 30 June 2026, with the VAT, regulatory duty and supplementary duty exemptions continuing. SRO No. 19 withdraws the concessional duty of up to 5% that weavers' and Jamdani weavers' associations had on certain raw materials. Under SRO No. 51 of 15 February 2026, VAT of 7.5% applies to LP gas imports, while the VAT exemption on LPG now covers all supplies at the manufacturing and trading stages. SRO No. 52 exempts VAT above 7.5% and advance tax on LP gas imported by industrial IRC holders until 30 June 2026. The schedule to the Temporary Import Rules 2025 is amended to remove dredgers from the list of non-eligible goods.