Tax & Employment
Tax
Transaction tax, withholding, VAT, transfer pricing and tax controversy under Bangladesh's income tax and VAT regimes.
- The Legal 500 · Tier 1, Tax
Bangladesh's direct tax regime now runs under the Income Tax Act 2023, with indirect tax under the Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty Act 2012. For foreign investors the recurring issues are withholding on cross-border payments, availability of treaty relief, permanent establishment risk, capital gains on share transfers, and the exemptions attached to zones and to power and infrastructure projects.
We advise on transaction structuring and tax clearance, deal with the National Board of Revenue on rulings and exemptions, and run tax appeals and controversy work. The firm also publishes a handbook on direct taxation in Bangladesh, updated for each Finance Act.
How we help
- Transaction and holding structure tax planning
- Withholding tax, double tax treaty relief and PE analysis
- VAT and supplementary duty advice and registration
- Transfer pricing documentation and audits
- Tax exemptions and incentives for zones, power and infrastructure
- Tax assessments, appeals and tribunal proceedings
- Customs duty and classification disputes
Representative matters
- Advised on capital gains tax treatment for a power company.
- Completed a corporate tax exemption matter for an energy company.
- Publishes a handbook on direct taxation in Bangladesh, updated for the latest Finance Act.
Mandates in this practice
Platinum Equity · Acquirer's counsel
Tax due diligence on the Hop Lun acquisition
El Paso · Counsel
Successful corporate tax exemption
Our writing on this
- Direct taxation in Bangladesh: what changes each Finance Act, and what never does
Rates move every year. The structural issues for foreign investors — withholding, treaty relief, permanent establishment and capital gains on share transfers — move far more slowly.