Bangladesh shifts fiscal year to April-March to avoid monsoon delays

Bangladesh's government has decided to shift its fiscal year from the traditional July 1-June 30 cycle to April 1-March 31. This change, approved by the cabinet, will take effect from fiscal year 2028-29. The upcoming fiscal year, 2027-28, will be a transitional nine-month period.

The primary driver for this adjustment is to mitigate delays and quality issues in infrastructure projects caused by the monsoon season, which typically runs through July and August. By aligning the fiscal year with the April-March period, the government aims to complete infrastructure development activities before the heavy rains begin.

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Infrastructure development activities continue during July-August, which is the monsoon season. As a result, the rains cause delays, compromise the quality of work, and create widespread public suffering.

"Infrastructure development activities continue during July-August, which is the monsoon season. As a result, the rains cause delays, compromise the quality of work, and create widespread public suffering,” stated the Cabinet Division in a press release. The new timeline is expected to "complete infrastructure development activities before the monsoon."

In addition to the fiscal year change, the cabinet also granted final approval to the draft of the "Special Response Battalion (SRB) Act, 2026." Further approvals included the draft of the "National Strategy and Multi-Year Action Plan for a Lead-Free Bangladesh (2026-2035)" and a proposal to exempt customs duty and taxes on imported green chilies and tomatoes.

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If the April-March period is used as the fiscal year, infrastructure development activities can be completed before the monsoon.