Finance Act 2026: income tax return filing changes from 1 July 2026
The Finance Act 2026 (Act 96 of 2026) rewrites how individuals file income tax returns for tax year 2026-27. The single 30 November deadline is gone: a return can now be filed at any time of the year, with a rebate for filing early and additional tax for filing late.
Year-round filing, with a reward and a cost
The fixed "Tax Day" of 30 November no longer applies to ordinary individual taxpayers. For tax year 2026-27 (income earned 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026), a return filed between 1 July and 30 September 2026 earns a rebate of 5% of the tax payable, capped at Tk 25,000. From 1 January 2027, additional tax applies to returns still unfiled. Filing between October and December carries neither the rebate nor the additional tax.
Online filing is now compulsory
Ordinary individual taxpayers must file online at etaxnbr.gov.bd; only a few groups may still file on paper. You need a 12-digit TIN, a mobile SIM registered against your own NID, and your income and asset papers for the year.
Rates and limits for 2026-27
The tax-free limit is Tk 4,00,000 for most individuals, Tk 4,50,000 for women and anyone aged 65 or over, Tk 5,25,000 for persons with disability and third-gender taxpayers, and Tk 5,50,000 for war-wounded freedom fighters. The 5% slab is gone: income above the limit is taxed at 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30%. Minimum tax is Tk 5,000 (Tk 1,000 for a first-time taxpayer), and only if income exceeds the limit.
Companies
A non-listed company pays 27.5%, reduced to 25% when all receipts for the year pass through the banking channel; a listed company pays 22.5% or 25% depending on its public float, with the same banking condition. The minimum tax is renamed turnover tax, at 1% of gross receipts where that exceeds the regular tax. The company return is due on the 15th day of the ninth month after the year end — 15 March 2027 for a 30 June year end — with a 5% rebate for filing within six months.
What it means for you
If you file your own return, the practical move is simple: file by 30 September and take the rebate; do not let the return drift past December. If your company’s receipts can be routed entirely through banks, the 2.5-point rate cut is usually worth the discipline.
Sources
Laws and forms behind this guide
Authentic texts hosted by BD Advocacy. Section numbers are the ones this guide relies on.
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