The interim government has introduced a 10% supplementary duty on over-the-top (OTT) platform services in the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2025–26, making streaming services more expensive for consumers.
The move comes amid the rapid growth of OTT platforms, fuelled by wider smartphone usage, improved internet access, and increasing demand for localised content.
Chorki CEO Redoan Rony told Dhaka Tribune: “The entertainment industry is already struggling, and even more so in the current political climate. The OTT policy is still in draft form, not finalized. Yet there’s talk of imposing taxes on it, this is truly unfortunate.”
Rony remarked that they hope no form of tax will be imposed on the entertainment industry until it reaches a stable state. “At the same time, our local businesses must be protected as well,” he added.
Faisal Rahman, head of Marketing and Business Development at Chorki, said: “If such a decision is finalized, it will definitely impact Chorki’s subscription fees. This may lead to a decline in subscriber interest.”
Faisal remarked that the move is alarming for the entire industry.
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.
