Company Tax Registration in Bangladesh 2026: e-TIN, BIN, Trade Licence and First Returns

Company tax registration Bangladesh: the 2026 framework

Company tax registration Bangladesh law requires does not end when the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms issues a certificate of incorporation. That certificate creates the company; it does not make it visible to the tax system. Before a new company can sign a lease, renew a trade licence, open an import letter of credit, supply a corporate customer or operate a business bank account, it needs a Taxpayer's Identification Number from the National Board of Revenue and, for most commercial activity, a Business Identification Number under the VAT law. From that moment the company is also a withholding agent and a periodic filer.

This guide follows a new company through that onboarding sequence in the order it actually happens in 2026: incorporation, e-TIN, the certificate that stands in for proof of return in the first two years, BIN registration, the trade licence, withholding obligations and the first returns. It reflects the Finance Act 2026 and the VAT and Supplementary Duty (Amendment) Ordinance 2026, gazetted on 14 October 2026, which restored monthly VAT returns. Where TRW has already published a detailed guide on a sub-topic, we link to it rather than repeat it.

Summary: A company incorporated in Bangladesh must register with the NBR for income tax and obtain a TIN under section 261 of the Income Tax Act 2023, register for VAT and obtain a BIN where the VAT and Supplementary Duty Act 2012 requires it (often from the first transaction), and use those numbers to obtain its trade licence and banking, import and supply relationships. Registration immediately triggers withholding, VAT and income tax filing obligations.

Key point: Since the Finance Act 2026, a BIN or turnover tax enlistment certificate is mandatory to open a business current or STD account, take a loan, obtain or renew a trade licence, open an MFS merchant account, join a trade body, take a business electricity or gas connection and register a business vehicle. A new company that treats VAT registration as a later task will find its operations blocked.

At a glance

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Table of Contents

What company tax registration Bangladesh law requires in 2026

A new company in Bangladesh carries three tax identities and one local licence. The TIN identifies it as an income tax assessee. The BIN identifies it as a VAT-registered or turnover tax-enlisted person. The withholder identification number identifies it as a person that deducts and collects tax at source. The trade licence, issued by the city corporation, paurashava or union parishad where it trades, is not a tax registration, but its issue and renewal now depend on the tax numbers. Each identity carries its own filing calendar, and each is checked by third parties before they will deal with the company.

The legal sources are the Income Tax Act 2023, whose Part 18 deals with registration of assessees,[1] the Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty Act 2012 and the VAT and Supplementary Duty Rules 2016,[2] [3] and the annual Finance Act, which for 2026-27 is the Finance Act 2026 (Act No. 96 of 2026), published on 30 June 2026.[4] Our overview of tax law in Bangladesh explains how these statutes fit together; this guide concentrates on the registration layer and what follows from it.

Why registration is a gateway, not a formality

The policy direction is unmistakable. Successive Finance Acts have tied ordinary commercial transactions to proof of tax registration so that the registration net widens without additional enforcement. Section 264 of the Income Tax Act lists 45 transactions that require proof of submission of an income tax return, and a person approving or processing any of them without verifying that proof can be fined up to Tk 10 lakh.[1] The Finance Act 2026 created a parallel VAT gateway for the BIN.[5] Banks, licensing authorities and corporate customers therefore act as the system's first line of enforcement, and they ask for the numbers before anything else.

From incorporation to tax identity: getting the sequence right

Company tax registration Bangladesh practice starts with incorporation. A private or public limited company comes into existence on registration of its memorandum and articles under the Companies Act 1994, which deals with the registration of those documents, the effect of registration and the conclusiveness of the certificate of incorporation in sections 23 to 25.[14] The certificate, the registration number and the date of incorporation are the anchor details for every tax application that follows, so they must be checked for accuracy before anything is filed with the NBR. Our guide to company registration in Bangladesh covers name clearance, documents and RJSC filings in full.

RJSC's electronic business registration system

Incorporation itself is moving fully online. In September 2026 the commerce ministry reported that the RJSC's Electronic Business Registration System would let entrepreneurs complete every step from name clearance to final registration without visiting the RJSC, with real-time pre-verification of national identity cards, e-TINs and mobile numbers, and three options for the memorandum and articles.[11] The practical consequence for tax registration is that the promoters' own e-TINs are now checked at the incorporation stage, so every director and subscriber should hold a valid TIN before the company is formed.

One-stop service for investors

For investors using the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, the direction is integration rather than a new legal requirement. In May 2025 BIDA signed memoranda with the NBR, the RJSC, the Dhaka North, Dhaka South and Chattogram city corporations and Sonali Bank to bring name clearance, company registration, the trade licence, the TIN certificate and bank account opening into one online application on its One Stop Service platform, which at that time offered 134 services from 44 agencies.[12] Integration simplifies the forms; it does not change the underlying statutory obligations or the order in which documents depend on one another.

e-TIN registration for a new company

Section 261(1) of the Income Tax Act 2023 requires a person to register as an assessee if it is an assessee, is liable to file a return under section 166, is bound to furnish proof of submission of return under section 264, or is willing to pay tax or file a return.[1] A company falls within at least two of those limbs from incorporation, because section 166(1)(c) requires every company to file a return whatever its income.[1] Under section 261(2) the Board issues a TIN to the registered assessee, and under section 261(4) the tax authority may itself register a person who is eligible but fails to obtain one.[1]

How the online application works

Registration is made through the NBR's e-TIN system and no fee is payable. The applicant creates an account with a user ID, password, mobile number and email address, activates it with an SMS code, chooses new registration or re-registration, selects the taxpayer type (individual, expatriate or company) and completes the details; the certificate is generated online and can be printed or saved immediately.[13] For a company, the details must match the RJSC record exactly: the registered name, registration number, date of incorporation and registered office address. A mismatch in the name or number is the most common cause of later problems with banks and the VAT system.

Who should apply and control the account

The e-TIN account is the company's tax identity, not a personal convenience. Use a company email address and a mobile number under the company's control, record the credentials in the company's compliance register and restrict access to the finance function. A TIN registered against an individual employee's phone number becomes a real problem when that employee leaves. The return itself is signed and verified by the company's principal officer, so the board should decide early who holds that role.[1]

Directors and shareholders need their own TINs

Becoming a director or sponsor shareholder of a company is one of the transactions for which section 264 requires proof of submission of return.[1] Individual promoters therefore need a TIN and a filing record of their own, and once a person holds a TIN the annual filing obligation follows. Foreign individuals register under the expatriate taxpayer type.[13] Settle the position of each foreign director at the planning stage, particularly where the director will receive no Bangladesh income.

Mistakes, duplicates and cancellation

Using another person's TIN or a fake TIN on a return or any document that requires a TIN can attract a penalty of up to Tk 20,000 under section 268.[1] Duplicate or mistaken registrations should be cancelled rather than left dormant: section 262 lists duplicate or mistaken registration, a change of legal status and dissolution among the grounds, and cancellation is granted only if no liability, assessment or dispute is outstanding.[1] A company that is wound up must therefore clear its tax position before its TIN can be retired.

The TIN certificate as a passport for the first two years

A newly formed company has no return to show. Section 264(9) solves that problem: a person that is not a natural person and is incorporated, registered or formed under any law may furnish a certificate containing its name and TIN instead of proof of submission of return in the year of incorporation, registration or formation and in the following year.[1] In practice the e-TIN certificate does the work of the proof of submission of return (PSR) until the company has filed its first returns.

Transactions where the certificate is checked

The section 264 list is long, but the items a new company meets first are predictable. They include obtaining or continuing an import or export registration certificate, obtaining or renewing a trade licence in a city corporation or paurashava area, obtaining a drug, fire, environment or BSTI licence, commercial gas and electricity connections, opening an import letter of credit, submitting a bill of entry, submitting tender documents and supplying goods or services to a company or firm.[1] The Finance Act 2026 rationalised the PSR list, so confirm the current version of an item before relying on it.[5]

When the grace period ends

The two-year window is generous only if the company plans for its end. From the third year, counterparties will ask for a genuine PSR for the latest assessment year, and a company that has not filed on time will find its licence renewals, letters of credit and supply contracts stalled. A business assessee must also display its PSR at a conspicuous place in its business premises, on pain of a penalty of Tk 20,000 to Tk 50,000, and the Finance Act 2026 specifies that the PSR displayed must be for the latest tax year.[1] [5]

BIN and VAT registration after incorporation

VAT registration is the second pillar of company tax registration Bangladesh businesses must manage. A registered person receives a certificate bearing a BIN. Under section 4(1) of the VAT Act, a person becomes eligible for registration where turnover exceeded the registration threshold in the preceding 12 months, or is expected to exceed it in the next 12. The registration threshold is Tk 50 lakh and the enlistment threshold for turnover tax Tk 30 lakh, both figures having applied since 9 January 2025.[2] Our guides to VAT in Bangladesh and VAT registration for companies cover rates, thresholds and the e-VAT forms in detail.

Registration regardless of turnover

For many new companies the threshold is irrelevant. Section 4(2) requires registration irrespective of turnover for a person that supplies, manufactures or imports goods or services subject to supplementary duty; supplies under a tender, agreement or work order; is engaged in import or export business; establishes a branch, liaison or project office of a foreign organisation; is appointed a VAT agent; or carries on activity in goods, services or areas prescribed by the Board.[2] A company formed to trade internationally or to supply other businesses under contract is therefore within the VAT net from its first transaction.

Timing and process

Rule 4(1) of the VAT Rules requires the application to be made within 15 days from the day the obligation to register arises, on the resident or non-resident form, and the certificate is issued in Form 2.3.[3] The 2026-27 changes made registration fully automated in the e-VAT system: a valid application is checked by the system and the certificate with the BIN is sent at once to the applicant's registered email, taking effect on issue.[5] [6] A company with centralised, software-based accounts for similar supplies from several places may take central registration under section 5.[2]

Voluntary registration and changes

A company below the threshold and outside section 4(2) may still register voluntarily under section 8, but cannot apply to cancel within the first year.[2] Corporate buyers often prefer a VAT-registered supplier because turnover tax gives them no input credit, so voluntary registration is frequently a commercial decision. Once registered, a change in the registered information must be notified within 15 days under rule 12.[3] A change of name, address or business activity at the RJSC should therefore be mirrored promptly in both the e-TIN record and the e-VAT record.

The BIN as a gateway document from 2026-27

The Finance Act 2026 inserted a new section 4(3) into the VAT Act. Regardless of turnover, a BIN or enlistment certificate must be produced to open a business current or STD account with a bank or financial institution, take a loan, obtain or renew a trade licence, open an MFS merchant account, obtain or renew trade association membership, obtain an electricity or gas connection in a business name, and obtain BRTA registration or fitness for a business vehicle.[5] [6] PwC notes that this significantly widens the registration net, including for businesses that make only exempt supplies.[5]

For a new company the effect is sequencing. A business that is below the registration threshold is not excused: it must obtain an enlistment certificate, which under the substituted section 10 is applied for through the e-VAT system and issued automatically with a BIN when the application is valid.[6] Either way, the VAT number now has to be in hand before the company's banking and licensing are complete.

Trade licence interplay with company tax registration Bangladesh rules

The trade licence is a local government permission to carry on a trade, business or profession within the licensing authority's area. It is not issued by the NBR, but tax law now controls access to it in two ways. Under the Income Tax Act, obtaining or renewing a trade licence in a city corporation or paurashava area requires a PSR, or for a newly incorporated company the TIN certificate under section 264(9).[1] Under the VAT Act, obtaining or renewing a trade licence requires a BIN or enlistment certificate.[6]

The practical order of documents

The workable order for most new companies is therefore incorporation, company e-TIN, BIN or enlistment, then the trade licence and the business bank account. Where the trade licence authority or the bank asks for documents the company does not yet have, the issue is almost always an earlier step that was skipped. The trade licence then becomes an input for later permissions such as import and export registration and sector licences. Our guides to the trade licence in Bangladesh and trade licence registration and compliance explain the local process and fees.

Renewal is a tax checkpoint

Because the trade licence must be renewed annually, every renewal now tests the company's tax standing twice: once for a current PSR (after the two-year grace period) and once for a valid BIN.[1] [6] A licensing officer who renews without seeing a valid PSR risks a penalty of up to Tk 10 lakh under section 264(7), which is why the check is applied strictly in practice.[1] A late return in year three can therefore delay the trade licence renewal that every bank, landlord and customer asks to see.

Withholding obligations start on registration

Company tax registration Bangladesh rules make a company a tax collector as well as a taxpayer. Section 140 of the Income Tax Act defines a "specified person" to include any company, firm, association of persons, trust or fund, and most withholding provisions place the duty to deduct on specified persons.[1] A new company that pays rent, salaries, contractors, consultants or overseas service providers in its first month is deducting tax at source in its first month. Our guide to withholding tax in Bangladesh sets out the rates, deposit deadlines and certificates.

Withholder identification number

Section 263 requires every person liable to deduct or collect tax at source to obtain a withholder identification number (WIN); a person that fails to do so is issued a temporary number, and the absence of a WIN does not prevent personal liability.[1] The Finance Act 2026 simplified this for companies by allowing the TIN to serve as the WIN, except for persons not required to obtain a TIN.[5] The company's e-TIN therefore does double duty from 2026-27.

The withholding tax return

Section 177 requires companies (other than local authorities, government bodies and certain schools), firms, associations of persons, private hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres to file a return of tax deducted or collected at source, with a filing date fixed by reference to the 25th day of the month.[1] In current practice withholding returns are filed quarterly, by the 25th day of the month after each quarter.[8] The Finance Act 2026 extended the filing requirement to specified non-corporate deductors.[5]

VAT deduction at source

A VAT-registered company may also be a VAT deducting entity for payments to its suppliers, which is a separate regime from income tax withholding with its own deposit and reporting rules. Our guide to VAT deduction at source explains who must deduct and how VDS certificates feed into the VAT return.

Ongoing returns after registration

Registration converts into a filing calendar immediately. A new company should map three return streams in its first month: the annual income tax return, the withholding tax return and the VAT or turnover tax return, together with advance tax instalments once they apply.

The company income tax return

Every company must file an income tax return whatever its profit or loss.[1] The income year generally runs from 1 July to 30 June, with banks, insurers and financial institutions on a calendar year. The return is due by the 15th day of the ninth month after the end of the income year, or 15 September if that is later.[7] Section 169(2) requires the company return to attach audited financial statements, evidence of compliance with the Board's verification criteria and a computation reconciling accounting profit with income shown in the return.[1]

The Finance Act 2026 introduced a 5% rebate of tax liability, capped at Tk 25,000, for early filing, and additional tax of 2%, with a minimum of Tk 25,000, for a return filed after the due date but within the tax year; it also repealed the NBR's power to extend the filing date by a month.[5] From 2026-27 an income tax return is treated as incomplete unless the acknowledgement of the withholding tax return accompanies it.[5] Our guides to income tax return filing and corporate income tax in Bangladesh cover computation, rates and the return in detail.

Advance tax

Advance tax is payable in instalments on 15 September, 15 December, 15 March and 15 June. Interest at 10% a year runs where tax paid falls below 75% of assessed tax, rising to 15% where the return is filed late.[7] The Finance Act 2026 raised the threshold for compulsory advance tax from Tk 0.6 million to Tk 1 million.[5] A new company with a strong first year should model advance tax early rather than meet it as a surprise after the first assessment.

Monthly VAT returns restored

The Finance Act 2026 had made quarterly VAT returns the default from July 2026, with monthly filing optional.[5] That changed within four months. The VAT and Supplementary Duty (Amendment) Ordinance 2026, published in the Gazette on 14 October 2026, requires a return within 15 days after the end of each tax period; government, semi-government and autonomous bodies, banks, insurers and zero-return filers have 20 days, and a deadline falling on a public holiday moves to the next working day.[9]

The NBR's VAT Policy Wing explained that the quarterly cycle had delayed VAT deposits and complicated rebates, adjustments and refunds; VAT accounts for nearly 38% of NBR revenue, and collections had fallen about 21% year on year in the first two months of the fiscal year.[9] For the transition, the NBR extended the deadline for online returns for July to September 2026 to 25 October 2026, without interest or penalty.[10] Our guide to VAT return filing in Bangladesh explains the forms, the e-VAT process and late-filing consequences.

Which VAT return form applies

Manufacturers, service providers and traders claiming input tax credit continue to file Mushak 9.1. From 2026-27 other registered persons, including traders not claiming credit and commercial importers supplying under final settlement, file Mushak 9.1.1, which does not permit credit claims.[5] A new company should decide at registration which form its business model requires, because that choice drives its accounting system and invoice controls.

Who does what: the authorities in company tax registration

Several bodies touch company tax registration Bangladesh businesses go through, and knowing which one owns each step saves time when an application stalls.

Business tax registration steps for a new company

The following sequence reflects company tax registration Bangladesh practice in late 2026. It assumes a private limited company with Bangladeshi or foreign shareholders that will trade from its first months.

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Foreign-owned companies, branches and liaison offices

For company tax registration Bangladesh law treats a subsidiary of a foreign group exactly as it treats a local company, but two features deserve attention. First, foreign directors and sponsor shareholders need a TIN and filing position of their own under section 264, and they register under the expatriate taxpayer type.[1] [13] Second, cross-border payments for services, royalties and interest trigger non-resident withholding and, for services, reverse-charge VAT, so the finance function must be ready before the first intra-group invoice arrives.

A branch, liaison or project office of a foreign organisation is not a separate company, but it is still within the tax registration framework. Section 4(2)(d) of the VAT Act requires VAT registration irrespective of turnover for anyone establishing such an office, and section 166(1)(c) of the Income Tax Act requires a non-resident with a permanent establishment in Bangladesh to file a return.[1] [2] Our guide to foreign company registration in Bangladesh explains the BIDA permission and the choice between a subsidiary and a branch.

TIN, BIN, WIN and the trade licence compared

The table below summarises the registrations involved in company tax registration Bangladesh law requires, the statute behind each and the point at which it is first needed.

Common company tax registration Bangladesh mistakes

Most problems we see in tax onboarding are avoidable and arise from sequencing or record-keeping rather than from difficult law.

Treating VAT registration as a later task

Founders often assume they need a BIN only once turnover reaches Tk 50 lakh. Section 4(2) catches importers, exporters, tender suppliers and foreign offices from the outset, and section 4(3) now requires a BIN or enlistment certificate for a business bank account and the trade licence.[2] [6] A late registration also leaves past supplies exposed to VAT that cannot be recovered from customers.

Inconsistent records across agencies

The company's name, registration number, address and business activity should be identical in the RJSC record, the e-TIN record, the e-VAT record, the trade licence and the bank's records. Automated verification now catches mismatches that officers once overlooked. When any detail changes, update every record and keep evidence of each update.

Forgetting the end of the grace period

The section 264(9) certificate covers only the year of incorporation and the following year.[1] A company that misses its first return deadline enters year three without a PSR and meets refusals across banking, licensing and procurement simultaneously.

Ignoring withholding until the first audit

A new company that pays rent or contractors without deducting tax is accumulating liability from the first month. Section 263 makes clear that the absence of a WIN is no defence to personal liability.[1] Build deduction, deposit and certificate controls into the payment process before the first payment run.

Running on the quarterly VAT calendar

Businesses that set up compliance calendars in July 2026 on the quarterly model must reset them. After the October 2026 Ordinance, the monthly 15-day deadline applies.[9]

2026 changes and what to watch

The Finance Act 2026 changed the registration landscape in four ways that matter to a new company: the BIN gateway under section 4(3), fully automated BIN issue, the TIN serving as the WIN, and the rebate and additional tax regime for income tax returns.[5] The VAT and Supplementary Duty (Amendment) Ordinance 2026 then restored monthly VAT returns from 14 October 2026.[9] Watch whether Parliament, under the elected government formed after the February 2026 elections, approves the Ordinance unchanged or amends it when it next meets.

On the incorporation side, watch the full launch of the RJSC's electronic business registration system and BIDA's integrated application, which together aim to deliver incorporation, TIN, trade licence and bank account through linked online processes.[11] [12] Integration will make company tax registration Bangladesh businesses undertake faster, but it will also make data mismatches more visible, so accurate records at incorporation will matter more, not less. TRW's tax compliance practice and corporate tax practice advise new companies on this onboarding sequence.

Frequently asked questions

Does every company in Bangladesh need a TIN?

Yes. Section 166(1)(c) of the Income Tax Act 2023 requires every company to file an income tax return, and section 261 requires anyone liable to file to register and obtain a TIN.[1]

Is there a fee for a company e-TIN?

No. The e-TIN is obtained online through the NBR's registration system without payment, and the certificate is generated on completion.[13]

What can a new company show instead of proof of submission of return?

Under section 264(9), in the year of incorporation and the following year, a company may furnish a certificate showing its name and TIN instead of a PSR.[1]

When must a new company register for VAT?

Within 15 days of the obligation arising. The obligation arises on crossing the Tk 50 lakh threshold or, for importers, exporters, tender suppliers, foreign branch offices and others listed in section 4(2), regardless of turnover.[2] [3]

Do I need a BIN to open a company bank account?

Since the Finance Act 2026, a BIN or turnover tax enlistment certificate must be produced to open a business current or STD account with a bank or financial institution.[5] [6]

Is a TIN or BIN needed for a trade licence?

Both. Obtaining or renewing a trade licence in a city corporation or paurashava requires a PSR, or a TIN certificate for a newly incorporated company, and a BIN or enlistment certificate under section 4(3) of the VAT Act.[1] [6]

Does a company need a separate withholder number?

Section 263 requires a WIN for persons who deduct or collect tax at source, but the Finance Act 2026 allows the TIN to serve as the WIN for persons required to hold a TIN.[1] [5]

Are VAT returns monthly or quarterly in 2026?

Monthly. The VAT and Supplementary Duty (Amendment) Ordinance 2026, gazetted on 14 October 2026, requires a return within 15 days after each monthly tax period, or 20 days for certain bodies, banks, insurers and zero returns.[9]

When is a new company's first income tax return due?

By the 15th day of the ninth month after the end of its income year, or 15 September if later. For a 30 June year end, that is 15 March.[7]

Can a company cancel its TIN?

Yes, on grounds in section 262 such as dissolution, change of legal status or duplicate registration, but only if no tax liability, pending assessment or dispute remains.[1]