Bangladesh cuts import duties on dates, fruit ahead of Ramadan, restores monthly VAT filing
Bangladesh is lowering import duties on dates, oranges and apples as it prepares for Ramadan and seeks to ease the cost of key consumer goods. The cabinet also moves to restore monthly VAT filing for standard businesses after quarterly submissions created obstacles to revenue collection.
Highlights
- Bangladesh government cuts import duty on dates to 5% from 25% until 10 March 2027 following a 15 November cabinet decision.
- Import taxes on oranges and apples reduced to 61% from 121.78%, effective from 24 January to 23 February.
- National Board of Revenue to restore monthly VAT filing requirement for standard businesses, moving away from the quarterly system introduced in October 2026.
Tariff cuts and implementation timeline
As reported by The Business Standard, the government announced on 15 November temporary reductions in import duties on dates, oranges and apples following a cabinet decision chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.Under the decision, the import duty on dates falls to 5% from 25%, and the reduced rate remains in effect until 10 March 2027. Import taxes on oranges, or malta, under HS Code 08051010 and apples under HS Code 08081010 are also cut to 61% from 121.78%, with those temporary rates effective from 24 January to 23 February.
Revenue administration changes and business impact
The cabinet also gives in-principle and final approval to a National Board of Revenue proposal to restore monthly VAT filing for standard businesses. That change requires returns to be submitted within 15 days of the end of each monthly tax period.The revised provision is expected to be included in the proposed Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty (Amendment) Act, 2026, changing an October 2026 ordinance that introduced quarterly VAT filing with monthly submissions. The statement says the FY2026-27 budget had relaxed the monthly filing requirement by allowing returns within 15 days after every three-month tax period, but the change created field-level obstacles for revenue collection and prompted a proposed amendment to Section 64 of the Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty Act, 2012. The amendment is expected to be approved during the current parliamentary session, subject to vetting by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division.
As we previously wrote, Bangladesh’s IMF support highlighted the push for banking reform and stronger revenue collection amid rising debt pressures.
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