Business & Financial Legislation

Bangladesh Bank's own index of the statutes it administers. Beyond the Bank Company Act 1991 and Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 listed above, it also points to the Bankers' Books Evidence Act 1891, the Bank Deposit Insurance Act 2000 and the Money Loan Court Act (Artha Rin Adalat Ain) 2003 — all of which redirect to the Laws of Bangladesh portal rather than to individual Act pages.

Imposes travel tax on persons departing Bangladesh by air, land or sea, sets the rates by destination and mode, and provides for collection through carriers, exemptions and penalties.

Charges tax on gifts of property made by a person during a financial year, defines taxable and exempt gifts, valuation of gifted property, and assessment and recovery of gift tax.

Replaced the Customs Act, 1969. Governs import and export: customs duty under the First Schedule tariff, regulatory duty, valuation and HS classification, clearance procedures, bonded warehousing, offences and appeals. VAT, supplementary duty and advance income tax on imports are collected alongside it.

The previous VAT regime, replaced by the VAT and Supplementary Duty Act, 2012 when that Act took effect in 2019. Still relevant for legacy assessments, disputes and periods before changeover.

The current VAT law, in force since 2019, replacing the VAT Act 1991. Imposition of value added tax, supplementary duty and turnover tax; registration and BIN, input tax credit, zero-rating and exemptions, reduced rates (Second Schedule), supplementary duty (Third Schedule), returns, advance tax and refunds. English version: https://nbr.gov.bd/uploads/acts/18.pdf

The direct tax code, replacing the Income-tax Ordinance, 1984. Charge of income tax, heads of income, tax on retained earnings and reserves of listed companies (s.22) and on stock dividend (s.23), withholding at source, assessment, appeals and recovery. NBR published an authentic English text by gazette in October 2025.

Defines and amends the law on promissory notes, bills of exchange and cheques — negotiation and delivery, holder in due course, endorsement, presentment, dishonour and discharge from liability. The basis of cheque-dishonour proceedings in Bangladesh.

Brings the financial reporting of public interest entities under a regulated framework; establishes the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) to set, monitor and enforce accounting and auditing standards, register and oversee auditors, and discipline the accountancy profession. Section 2(8) defines "public interest entity" and section 40 governs the reporting and auditing standards that banks and finance companies must follow.

Establishes the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission and sets out its constitution, powers and funding — protection of investors in securities, development and regulation of the capital market, and supervision of stock exchanges and market intermediaries. Works alongside the Securities and Exchange Ordinance, 1969.

Constituting instrument of the central bank — establishes Bangladesh Bank as a body corporate, sets out its capital, Board of Directors and the office of Governor, and confers its core functions: sole note issue, monetary policy, foreign exchange management, banker to the government and supervision of banks and finance companies.

Current law for non-bank finance companies: defines financing business (term deposits not repayable on demand, lending, investment and lease financing), licensing, permitted activities (s.21), preparation and audit of financial statements (ss.33, 37) under the Financial Reporting Act 2015 standards, inspection and resolution. Repealed the Financial Institutions Act, 1993.

Former statute for non-bank financial institutions — licensing, control and supervision of NBFIs, deposits, accounts and audit. REPEALED and replaced by the Finance Company Act, 2023. Kept in the database because contracts, licences and older financial statements still reference it.

Amends sections 3, 5, 7 and others of the Bank Company Act, 1991 — introduces the willful-defaulter regime, caps directors from a single family at three, and tightens penalties and central-bank enforcement powers.

Principal banking statute: licensing of banking companies, minimum capital and reserves, ownership and composition of boards, restrictions on lending and large exposures, classification and provisioning of loans, inspection and supervision powers of the central bank, amalgamation, reconstruction and winding up of banks.

Company law: incorporation and registration, memorandum and articles, share capital and debentures, shareholders and general meetings, directors and management, accounts and audit (including appointment and remuneration of auditors, s.210), one-person companies, and winding up — consolidating and amending the law on companies and certain other associations.