The government has proposed a reduction in turnover tax for mobile network operators, from 2% to 1.5%, in the national budget for the fiscal year 2025–26.
While the move appears to offer some relief to the telecom sector, experts believe the change is unlikely to have any significant impact on consumers.
Under current rules, the reduced turnover tax applies only to mobile operators that are not making a profit. Among the country’s three leading telecom providers, Grameenphone, Robi, and Banglalink, only Banglalink currently qualifies for this provision, as both Grameenphone and Robi already pay corporate taxes from their profits.
Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed presented the proposed budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, amounting to Tk7,89,999 crore, in a televised speech on Monday.
