Software Purchases, VAT and Mushak 6.3 in Bangladesh
A software licence bought without correct VAT documentation creates two problems at once: an unclaimable expense for finance and an unprovable licence for IT. Both surface at the worst possible moment.
What a compliant software invoice contains
The supplier's BIN, your organisation's name and BIN, the licence description with seat count and term, the amount in BDT, the VAT treatment, and an accompanying Mushak 6.3 challan. Anything short of that is difficult to defend in an audit.
- Supplier BIN and registered name
- Buyer name and BIN
- Product, seat count and licence term
- BDT amount with VAT clearly shown
- Mushak 6.3 VAT challan
Why card purchases create gaps
Paying a foreign publisher on a corporate or personal card usually produces a foreign-currency receipt with no local VAT documentation. The licence is genuine, but the paperwork does not satisfy a local audit.
Matching the licence to the entity
The invoice, the publisher account and the deploying entity should be the same legal entity. Group companies that buy centrally and deploy locally should document the intercompany allocation.
Retention and renewals
Keep invoices, challans and licence confirmations for the retention period your auditors require, and store them with the licence register rather than only in the finance folder.
Frequently asked questions
- Is VAT applicable on imported software licences in Bangladesh?
- Yes — supplies of software licences by a locally registered supplier are subject to VAT, and the buyer should receive a BIN-linked invoice with a Mushak 6.3 challan.
- Can we claim input VAT on software?
- Where the purchase is for business use and supported by a valid Mushak 6.3 challan, it enters the normal input-VAT process; your VAT consultant should confirm the treatment for your entity.
- Does MacX provide this documentation as standard?
- Yes — every MacX supply ships with a BIN-linked invoice and Mushak 6.3 challan.
Talk to MacX about this
MacX advises enterprise buyers in Bangladesh on licensing, procurement and renewals across every major publisher.
Contact MacX