bKash lets taxpayers pay large sums via NBR systems

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has rolled out a new large-value transaction facility allowing corporate tax and value-added tax payments through the mobile financial service provider, bKash.

NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan inaugurated the service yesterday at NBR’s headquarters in Dhaka.

Using an online merchant wallet developed by bKash Limited, taxpayers can now pay withholding tax through the NBR’s e-TDS platform, while VAT payments can be made through the Finance Division’s A-Challan system.

NBR Member (VAT Policy) Azizur Rahman said that previously, tax payments through the A-Challan system were limited to Tk 3 lakh. The new facility removes this limit, allowing taxpayers to pay unlimited amounts through bKash.

bKash Finance Controller Muhammad Arifur Rahman said that a tax payment can now be completed in less than two minutes using either a bank account or a mobile wallet.

“The move advances the NBR’s digitisation drive,” said NBR Chairman Khan, adding that the authority aims to shift all tax payments to digital channels to ensure faster processing, greater accuracy and transparency, and lower risk.

Allowing large-value payments through digital wallets and merchant accounts would ease compliance for big taxpayers while enhancing revenue oversight, he said.

The platform is open to all licensed mobile financial service providers, including Nagad, Rocket, CellFin, and Upay, and Khan said he expects more operators to actively support such transactions.