B Mirror Report: In the first eight months (July–February) of the 2025–26 fiscal year, the revenue shortfall has exceeded BDT 714.71 billion. By the end of seven months (up to January), the deficit was over BDT 600 billion, and after six months (up to December), it was around BDT 460 billion. The revenue gap of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) is increasing rapidly, although it achieved a growth rate of 13.36%.

These figures were revealed in the NBR’s revenue collection report published on Wednesday (February 25), which economists view as a major setback for revenue collection.

According to NBR data, the revenue target for the first eight months was BDT 3.26 trillion, but the shortfall across three major sectors stood at BDT 714.71 billion. During this period, total collection reached BDT 2.54 trillion, which is 13.36% higher than the same period last fiscal year.

The largest shortfall occurred in income tax, amounting to BDT 333.73 billion. Against a target of BDT 1.19 trillion, only BDT 851.36 billion was collected.

In import-export duties, collection stood at BDT 719.12 billion against a target of BDT 890.79 billion, leaving a deficit of BDT 171.66 billion.

Meanwhile, VAT collection was BDT 972.82 billion, compared to a target of BDT 1.18 trillion, resulting in a shortfall of BDT 209.32 billion.

In February alone, revenue collection also slowed. The monthly target was BDT 420.51 billion, but actual collection was only BDT 305.62 billion, creating a shortfall of nearly BDT 114.90 billion.

At the beginning of the fiscal year, the NBR’s revenue target was set at BDT 4.99 trillion. Later, on November 10, it was revised upward to BDT 5.54 trillion by the Budget Monitoring and Resource Committee.