The government has proposed a Tk2,144 crore allocation for the Information and Communication Technology Division in the FY26 budget, marking a significant decrease of Tk728 crore from the previous FY2024–25 budget allocation which was Tk2,872 crore.
During his budget speech, the Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed on Monday stressed the importance of Mobile Financial Services (MFS).
He said: “MFS is playing an important role in building a cashless society, establishing financial governance and increasing the scope of financial inclusion.”
As of January 2025, Tk23.93 crore MFS accounts are registered in the country, while 42% of MFS accounts are held by women.
To encourage new entrepreneurs in the IT sector, Tk100 crore has been allocated as start-up funds for the next fiscal year.
An allocation of Tk200 crore has also been made to harness the potential of blue economy by extracting marine resources, ensuring their proper management, and supporting fundamental scientific research.
On this budget, the source tax for internet services was cut down by half from 10% to 5%. Several ISP providers expect that it will slightly decrease the internet cost for users.
On the other hand, a 10% supplementary duty has been added for Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms. The duty can significantly impact the growing OTT market, according to experts.
Online shopping may get costlier as VAT for online product selling commission has tripled from 5% to 15%.
