Staff Correspondent:

A locally developed tax-return system enabled the National Board of Revenue (NBR in Bangladesh to achieve a remarkable success as the online system witnessed a nearly 300-percent increase in income-tax-return submissions for the 2024-25 fiscal year.

Developed by local private information technology company Synesis IT, the e-return system saw over 1.44 million taxpayers file returns online, compared to 526,000 in the previous year, said the company press statement.

More than 1.86 million taxpayers have also registered for the service this fiscal year, marking a significant milestone in the country’s digital tax transformation.

NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan hailed the achievement, emphasising the need to sustain this momentum.

He highlighted the system’s role in encouraging taxpayers to file tax returns independently and reaffirmed NBR’s commitment to relying on domestic software, which reduces foreign exchange outflow.

The success of Synesis IT’s e-return system stands in contrast to NBR’s earlier attempt in 2016, when a Vietnamese company’s BiTAX software failed to gain traction despite a Tk 510 million investment.

The project was discontinued in 2019. However, in response to rising demand during the Covid-19 pandemic, Synesis IT developed the first version of the e-return system in just four months, initially without a budget.

The European Union later provided financial assistance through the Capacity Building and Technical Assistance Program.

The digital transformation of Bangladesh’s tax system began with the introduction of e-TIN in 2013, also developed by Synesis IT. On Monday, the e-TIN system has over 11.7 million registrations, forming one of the country’s largest databases.

Aminul Bari Shuvro, chief solutions officer of Synesis IT, described e-return as a model of successful collaboration between the government and the private sector, ensuring both efficiency and cybersecurity.

Former BASIS President Fahim Mashrur emphasised that Bangladesh’s software industry is now capable of producing world-class solutions, reducing reliance on foreign technology.

Several countries in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East have shown interest in adopting Bangladesh’s e-return system, with one country currently in negotiations.

An NBR official highlighted the need for continuous updates to keep pace with evolving technology.

To enhance user convenience, NBR has introduced mobile banking, debit/credit card payments, and a call centre. The online return service will remain available year-round, extending beyond Income Tax Day.

The interim government has prioritised digital tax filing, making e-returns mandatory for professionals in key sectors, including government employees in major city corporations, bank officials, telecom personnel, and multinational company employees.