The government has reduced customs duty on the import of dates by 40% ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, aiming to ensure adequate supply and keep prices within the purchasing capacity of general consumers. In a press release issued on Wednesday, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) said the existing customs duty on date imports has been lowered from 25% to 15%. In addition to the duty reduction, the NBR highlighted that amendments were made in the last budget to the provisions related to advance income tax (AIT) at the import stage. Under the revised rules, the AIT applicable to the import of all fruits, including dates, has been reduced from 10% to 5%. Moreover, the 50% concession on advance income tax for date and fruit imports, which was introduced last year, has been retained for the current year as well, the revenue authority said.

Source: Dhaka Tribune December 24, 2025 06:21 UTC