Md Abdur Rahman Khan, Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), has highlighted bureaucratic delays in government correspondence, noting that letters sent to Bangladesh Bank often remain unanswered for months.
Referring to a letter sent in March by City Bank Managing Director Masrur Arefin requesting approval for a small loan, Abdur Rahman Khan said that despite being submitted with the knowledge of the Governor, no response has been received.
Speaking at the 'Cashless Bangladesh Summit 2025' organized by the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB) at Hotel Sonargaon on Wednesday, Abdur Rahman Khan said the biggest challenge is the lack of digitization in government functions.
"We cannot track how long a letter has been pending. Because of this bureaucracy, tasks are often not completed on time. Others have managed to perform efficiently, while we lag behind," he said.
Abdur Rahman also noted data management issues. "People complain that in the past, information was available promptly. Now it is not, which means data is not properly produced or shared. Such problems prevent us from building a cashless society. We must view this in a broader context," he said.
Emphasizing the benefits of a cashless society, he said it would help the government increase revenue and reduce tax leakages. "Any incentives needed to promote cashless transactions will be provided," he added.
Abdur Rahman outlined several measures from the current budget, saying, "Listed companies conducting 100 per cent of transactions through banking channels will receive a 2.5 per cent tax exemption. Additionally, companies with non-material expenses above or below 50 per cent will face structured incentives or penalties to encourage compliance."
He also reported strong participation in online income tax returns. "Previously, around 400,000 returns were filed online. Last year, the number increased to 17 lakh. So far this year, 415,000 returns have been submitted," he said.
