Parliament on Monday passed the Finance Bill 2026 with 64 amendments, raising the income tax-free threshold for individual taxpayers, withdrawing a controversial investment disclosure provision and revising several tax measures proposed in the national budget.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury moved the bill, which was approved by voice vote after the rejection of a proposal to send it for public review.

The changes came after Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, during his speech on the budget, requested revisions to several proposals contained in the FY2026-27 budget.

One of the most significant amendments is the increase in the tax-free income threshold for individual taxpayers over the next five fiscal years.

Under the revised schedule, the tax-free limit will remain at Tk 400,000 for FY2026-27 and FY2027-28. It will rise to Tk 450,000 for FY2028-29 and FY2029-30, before increasing further to Tk 500,000 in FY2030-31.

The original budget had proposed lower thresholds of Tk 375,000, Tk 400,000 and Tk 450,000 for the corresponding periods.

The government also withdrew a proposed provision that would have allowed taxpayers to disclose investments without facing questions over the source of funds.

The proposal had triggered widespread public debate after it was interpreted by many as providing an opportunity to legitimise undisclosed wealth.

Explaining the decision, the finance minister said the provision was intended to address practical complications arising from land transactions, many of which are officially registered at mouza values instead of actual market prices.

He said the proposal aimed to protect taxpayers from future legal disputes over the declared value of their assets. However, the government decided to withdraw the provision in response to public concerns.

Two other proposed tax measures were also dropped.

The government scrapped the requirement to submit a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) certificate for opening most bank accounts. It also withdrew the proposal to make TIN certificates mandatory for the registration of partition deeds and property mutation.

The Finance Bill also offers tax relief to several sectors. The income tax rate for private universities has been cut from 10 percent to 5 percent.

Tax exemptions for indigenous communities have been expanded to include salary income. Previously, the exemption covered earnings from business, agriculture and other economic activities. The revised measure applies to indigenous people living in both the three hill districts and the plains.

To support the country's shrimp industry, the government has withdrawn customs duty, regulatory duty, supplementary duty and VAT on imported shrimp feed, probiotics, vitamins, minerals, other essential inputs and related machinery.

Import duty on PVC and PET resin, key industrial raw materials used in manufacturing and packaging, has also been reduced from the proposed 10 percent to 5 percent.

Before the bill was passed, several lawmakers urged parliament to send it for public review, arguing that citizens and elected representatives should have greater participation in the budget-making process. The proposal was rejected.

Moving the bill, the finance minister told parliament that it was intended to implement the government's financial proposals and amend relevant laws. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad then put the bill to a voice vote, and it was passed.