As much as Tk 122,000 crore is expected to be allocated for interest payment in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which is about 22 percent of the total revenue budget.

The interim government expects the country’s gross foreign exchange reserves to rise to $34.4 billion by the end of the fiscal year (FY) 2025–26, buoyed by strong remittance inflows, export performance, and budgetary support from development partners.

Prof Yunus will visit Tokyo from May 28-31. The two countries will also sign at least seven memoranda of understanding.

The budget for fiscal 2025-26 is likely to be smaller than the current year’s outlay, but subsidy spending is expected to remain almost unchanged at Tk 1,15,741 crore.

In a move to develop an effective public transport system in the country’s major cities, the interim government may reduce customs duties on the import of public buses.

From horse-drawn carriages to helicopters, weddings in Bangladesh have taken flight -- literally. What was once a luxury reserved for the ultra-rich has become an aspirational trend among the middle class in recent years.

After five years, the income tax rate for the highest bracket is likely to revert to 30 percent in the upcoming fiscal year as part of the government’s efforts to address growing inequality — an issue that is among the country’s major economic concerns.

The interim government is likely to introduce a transparent system for social safety net schemes in the upcoming budget, increasing the number of beneficiaries by around 10 lakh while slashing one-third of the existing programmes.

The government plans to raise the food subsidy allocation by 31 percent to Tk 9,500 crore in the upcoming fiscal year, aiming to ensure access to affordable food for poor and low-income households.

The interim government plans to reduce the national budget deficit to 3.6 percent of gross domestic product in the upcoming fiscal year -- the lowest in 14 years -- as it seeks to rebuild fiscal credibility, limit borrowing, and ease pressure from rising debt servicing costs.

For the first time, the planning ministry has used a digital budget planning system to categorise spending based on economic codes

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is expected to continue the prospective tax system until fiscal year 2027-28, allowing taxpayers and businesses to determine applicable tax rates in advance instead of waiting until the end of the income year.

The railway ministry, the power division, and the primary and mass education ministry will see the biggest chop.

The government is planning to significantly reduce its bank borrowing target in the upcoming fiscal year as it aims to narrow the budget deficit by scaling down the overall budget size.

Controlling inflation should be a top priority for the interim government.

The government is planning a series of measures in the upcoming national budget to alleviate the tax pressure on individuals and businesses, including raising the tax-free income threshold and relaxing certain compliance requirements.

The upcoming national budget must outline a comprehensive roadmap to prepare for the country’s graduation from the least developed country (LDC) club in 2026, prioritising tariff rationalisation, tax reform, and sustainable fiscal policies, according to a leading business leader.

Bangladesh’s upcoming national budget, set to be unveiled by the interim government in June, could mark a rare departure from past fiscal cycles.

In a country weighed down by high inflation, dwindling fiscal space and weak investments, now is not the time for illusions.

Bangladesh’s national budget is now shrinking in relative size even as the government struggles to deliver on its development commitments.