Tax revenue collection faced a Tk 280 billion shortfall in the first half (H1) of the current fiscal year (FY), posting a slower growth of 6.36 per cent, in the corresponding period.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) collected Tk 980 billion in tax during the July-December period against its target of Tk 1.26 trillion.
Import and export duty collection posted the poorest 3.72 per cent growth followed by the VAT wing with 5.26 per cent and income tax 10.94 per cent.
NBR chairman Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan disclosed the provisional data on the revenue collection at a press conference convened on the occasion of International Customs Day-2019.
The day will be observed on Saturday under the theme 'SMART borders for seamless trade, travel and transport'.
Mr Bhuiyan said the country was moving towards trade facilitation by modernising the customs wing.
Advance ruling, authorised economic operator (AEO), post-clearance audit and national enquiry point were the major outcomes of customs automation, he added.
"We've already awarded AEO status to some companies with a good track record on export and import," the NBR chairman said.
On collection performances, he said the revenue growth might be increased by 1.0 per cent from the provisional growth rate of 6.36 per cent.
The NBR's revenue collection growth was 14.92 per cent during the July-December period of FY 2017-18.
"We're compiling revenue collection data through cross-matching with the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) office to present the actual figures," Mr Bhuiyan said.
According to officials, revenue collection growth looks poor due to some inflated revenue figures last year.
The NBR chief said aggregate tax revenue collection might stand at Tk 2.50 trillion by the end of this fiscal if such trend in collection continued.
He, however, expressed optimism to achieve the aggregate target of Tk 2.96 trillion in FY 2018-19.
Mr Bhuiyan said the NBR drive would gear up collection in the next half of the fiscal.
The current trend in income tax collection growth might continue, but VAT and import tax collection would increase, he mentioned.
"The NBR stopped its survey activity in December because of the national election. It will start the drive this month," Mr Bhuiyan stated.
Asked about the Border Guard Bangladesh's attitude towards customs officials, he said the NBR would hold a meeting on January 30 with home ministry to this end.
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