The National Board of Revenue (NBR) launched the electronic income tax return (e-Return) service for individual taxpayers for the 2026-27 tax year today, making online filing mandatory for most individuals as part of its drive to simplify, expedite, and ensure transparency in tax services. Individual taxpayers can now submit their income tax returns online through the e-Tax platform from July 22. The e-Return system, introduced in 2021, has gained widespread popularity. During the 2025-26 tax year, nearly 4.7 million individual taxpayers successfully filed their returns online, reflecting the growing acceptance of digital tax services.
The NBR has issued a special order making online submission of income tax returns compulsory for all regular individual taxpayers. However, several categories, including senior citizens aged 65 or above, physically challenged or persons with disabilities, Bangladeshi taxpayers residing abroad, representatives filing returns on behalf of deceased taxpayers, and foreign nationals working in Bangladesh, are exempt from the mandatory online filing requirement and can submit paper-based returns. Regular taxpayers facing technical or registration issues can also submit paper returns with prior approval from the concerned Additional or Joint Commissioner of Taxes.
Taxpayers can pay their taxes through the official e-Tax portal using various methods such as bank transfers, debit cards, credit cards, bKash, Rocket, Nagad, or other mobile financial services. After completing the online return, taxpayers can instantly download their acknowledgement receipt and income tax certificate. NBR officials will provide support to taxpayers facing difficulties in filing online returns through the call centre and other electronic communication channels.
The NBR also announced a new incentive scheme effective from the 2026-27 tax year. Individual taxpayers who submit their returns between July and September will receive a tax rebate equal to five percent of their net tax payable, subject to a maximum benefit of Tk 25,000. Returns submitted after December will be subject to additional tax as stipulated under the prevailing tax laws. The board urged all taxpayers to submit their returns within the stipulated time to avail themselves of the incentive and avoid additional tax liabilities.
The introduction of the mandatory e-Return service is expected to significantly enhance the efficiency and transparency of tax processes in Bangladesh, encouraging more taxpayers to embrace digital services and ensuring timely compliance with tax obligations.
