Bangladesh Income Tax Rates

Bangladesh personal income tax rates for assessment year 2010 - 2011 is progressive up to 25%.

Bangladesh Income Tax Rates for individuals other than female taxpayers, senior taxpayers of 65 years and above and retarded taxpayers - Assessment Year 2010 - 2011

First                      BDT 1,65,000              Nil
Next                      BDT 2,75,000              10%
Next                      BDT 3,25,000              15%
Next                      BDT 3,75,000              20%
Rest Amount                                           25%

Bangladesh Income Tax Rates for female taxpayers, senior taxpayers of age 65 years and above - Assessment Year 2010 - 2011

First                      BDT 1,80,000              Nil
Next                      BDT 2,75,000              10%
Next                      BDT 3,25,000              15%
Next                      BDT 3,75,000              20%
Rest Amount                                           25%

Bangladesh Income Tax Rates for retarded taxpayers - Assessment Year 2010 - 2011

First                      BDT 2,00,000              Nil
Next                      BDT 2,75,000              10%
Next                      BDT 3,25,000              15%
Next                      BDT 3,75,000              20%
Rest Amount                                           25%

Minimum tax for any individual assessee is Tk. 2,000
Non-resident Individual: 25% (other than non-resident Bangladeshi)
On Dividend income: 20%

Income tax is one of the main sources of revenue in Bangladesh. It is a progressive tax system. Bangladesh Income tax is imposed on the basis of ability to pay. The more a taxpayer earns the more tax he should pay. This is the basic principle of charging income tax in Bangladesh. The tax system aims at ensuring equity and social justice. Tax rates in Bangladesh also differs between male and female individuals.

Time to submit income tax return: Unless the date is extended, by the 30th day of September next following the income year.

Who should submit Income Tax Return ?
- If total income of any individual (other than female taxpayers, senior taxpayers of 65 years and above and retarded taxpayers) during the income year exceeds Tk 1,65,000/-.
- If total income of any female taxpayer, senior taxpayer of 65 years during the income year exceeds Tk 1,80,000/-
- If total income of any retarded taxpayer during the income year exceeds Tk 2,00,000/-.
- If any person was assessed for tax during any of the 3 years immediately preceding the income year.
- A person who lives in any city corporation/paurashava/divisional HQ/district HQ and owns a building of more than one storied and having plinth area exceeding 1,600 sq. feet/owns motor car/owns membership of a club registered under VAT Law.
- If any person subscribes a telephone.
- If any person runs a business or profession having trade license and operates a bank account.
- Any professional registered as doctor, lawyer, income tax practitioner, Chartered Accountant, Cost & Management Accountant, Engineer, Architect and Surveyor etc.
- Member of a Chamber of Commerce and Industries or a trade Association.
- Any person who participates in a tender.
- A person who has a Taxpayer's Identification Number (TIN).
- Candidate for Union Parishad, Paurashava, City Corporation or Parliament elections.
- Any company registered under Companies Act, 1930 or 1994

Bangladesh Corporate Tax Rates

The standard rate of corporate tax in Bangladesh is 27.5% in 2010 - 2011 tax year. This is the standard corporate tax rate applicable to publicly traded companies in Bangladesh, a list including tax rates for other corporations are as follows:

Publicly Traded Company                                     27.5%
Non-publicly Traded Company                              37.5%
Bank, Insurance & Financial Company                   42.5%
Mobile Phone Operator Company                          45%
Publicly Traded Mobile Operator Company             35%

If any publicly traded company (excluding Mobile Operator Company) declares more than 20% dividend, 10% rebate on total tax allowed.

Tax Rebate for investment

Rate of Tax Rebate:

Amount of allowable investment is either actual investment in a year or up to 25% of total income or Tk. 10,00,000/-
whichever is less. Tax rebate amounts to 10% of allowable investment.

Types of investment qualified for the tax rebate are:
- Life insurance premium ,
- Contribution to deferred annuity ,
- Contribution to Provident Fund to which Provident Fund Act, 1925 applies ,
- Self contribution and employer's contribution to Recognized Provident Fund ,
- Contribution to Super Annuation Fund ,
- Investment in approved debenture or debenture stock, Stocks or Shares ,
- Contribution to deposit pension scheme approved by the government,
- Contribution to Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance premium ,
- Contribution to Zakat Fund ,
- Donation to charitable hospital approved by National Board of Revenue ,
- Donation to philanthropic or educational institution approved by the Government ,
- Donation to socio-economic or cultural development institution established in Bangladesh by Aga Khan Development Network ,
- Donation to ICDDR,B, Dhaka Community Hospital,
- Donation to philanthropic institution- CRP, Savar, Dhaka,
- Donation upto five lac to (1) Shishu Swasthya Foundation Hospital Mirpur, Shishu Hospital, Jessore and Hospital for Sick Children, Satkhira run by Shishu Swasthya Foundation, Dhaka, (2) Diganta Memorial Cancer Hospital, Dhaka, (3) The ENT and Head-Neck Cancer Foundation of Bangladesh, Dhaka; and (4) Jatiya Protibandhi Unnayan Foundation, Mirpur, Dhaka;
- Asiatic Society of Bangladesh;
- Muktijudha Jadughar;

Income Tax Authorities in Bangladesh

Income Tax Authorities in Bangladesh are:
- National Board of Revenue,
- Director General of Inspection (Tax),
- Commissioner of Taxes (Appeals),
- Commissioner of Taxes (LTU)
- Director General (Training),
- Director General Central Intelligence Cell (CIC),
- Commissioner of Taxes,
- Additional Commissioner of Taxes (Appeal/Inspecting),
- Joint Commissioner of Taxes(Appeal/Inspecting ),
- Deputy Commissioner of Taxes,
- Assistant Commissioner of Taxes,
- Extra Assistant Commissioner of Taxes,
- Inspectors of Taxes.

Tax Withholding Functions

In Bangladesh withholding taxes are usually termed as Tax deduction and collected at source. Under this system both private and public limited companies or any other organization specified by law are legally authorized and bound to withhold taxes at some point of making payment and deposit the same to the Government Exchequer. The taxpayer receives a certificate from the withholding authority and gets credits of tax against assessed tax on the basis of such certificate.

Tax Rebate for Investment

Rate of Rebate: Amount of allowable investment is either up to 25% of total income or BDT 500,000 whichever is less. Tax rebate amounts to 10% of allowable investment. Types of investment qualified for the tax rebate are:

- Life insurance premium
- Contribution to deferred annuity
- Contribution to Provident Fund to which Provident Fund Act, 1925 applies
- Self contribution and employer's contribution to Recognized Provident Fund
- Contribution to Super Annuation Fund
- Investment in approved debenture or debenture stock, Stocks or Shares
- Contribution to deposit pension scheme
- Contribution to Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance premium
- Contribution to Zakat Fund (Zakat: Islamic Tax)
- Donation to charitable hospital approved by National Board of Revenue
- Donation to philanthropic or educational institution approved by the Government
- Donation to socioeconomic or cultural development institution established in Bangladesh by Aga Khan Development Network

Assessment Procedures

- For a return submitted under normal scheme, assessment is made after hearing.
- For returns submitted under Universal Self Assessment Scheme, the acknowledgment slip is determined to be an assessment order. Universal Self Assessment is of course subject to audit.

Appeal against the order of DCT

A taxpayer can file an appeal against DCT's order to the Commissioner (Appeals) / Additional or Joint Commissioner of Taxes (Appeals) and to the Taxes Appellate Tribunal against an Appeal order.

Major Areas for Final Settlement of Tax Liability in Bangladesh

Tax deducted at source for the following cases is treated as final discharge of tax liabilities. No additional tax is charged or refund is allowed in the following cases:

- Supply or contract work
- Band rolls of hand made cigarettes
- Import of goods
- Transfer of properties
- Export of manpower
- Real Estate Business
- Export value of garments
- Local shipping business
- Royalty, technical know-how fee
- Insurance agent commission.
- Auction purchase
- Payment on account of survey by surveyor of a general insurance company
- Clearing & forwarding agency commission.
- Transaction by a member of a Stock Exchange.
- Courier business
- Export cash subsidy

Tax Holiday

Tax holiday is allowed for certain industrial undertaking, tourist industry and physical infrastructure facility established between 1st July 2008 to 30th June 2011 in fulfillment of certain conditions.

Bangladesh Value Added Tax (VAT) Rates

The general rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) in Bangladesh is 15%.

- Value Added Tax (VAT) is imposed on goods and services at import stage, manufacturing, wholesale and retails levels;
- A uniform VAT rate of 15% is applicable for both goods and services;
- 15% Value Added Tax (VAT) is applicable for all business or industrial units with an annual turnover of Taka 2 million and above;
- Turnover tax at the rate of 4% is leviable where annual turnover is less than BDT 2 million;
- Value Added Tax is applicable to all domestic products and services with some exemptions;
- Value Added Tax (VAT) is payable at the time of supply of goods and services;
- Tax paid on inputs is creditable / adjustable against output tax;
- Export is VAT exempt;
- Cottage industries (defined as a unit with an annual turnover of less than BDT 2 million and with a capital machinery valued up to BDT 300,000) are exempt from Value Added Tax;
- Tax returns are to be submitted on monthly or quarterly or half yearly basis as notified by the Government.