Dhaka, April 8 -- Leading industry bodies have urged sweeping fiscal reforms ahead of the FY 2026-27 national budget, focusing on reducing housing costs, rationalising import duties, and easing tax burdens on manufacturers.

On Wednesday, 12 organisations submitted their budget proposals during a pre-budget discussion held by the National Board of Revenue (NBR), attended by Chairman Md. Abdur Rahman Khan.

The Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) and land developers called for a significant reduction in registration costs for land and flats, citing high transaction expenses as a barrier to housing affordability.

REHAB proposed cutting the gain tax to 3 per cent, stamp duty to 1 per cent, and local government fees to ...