The Ministry of Finance has withdrawn its recently issued order to split the National Board of Revenue (NBR), following sustained protests from customs and income tax officials.
In a press release signed by Ministry Relations Officer Gazi Touhidul Islam, the ministry confirmed that the NBR will continue operating under the existing structure until further notice. The move reverses an earlier decision to separate the agency’s policy and management functions.
The decision comes after a delegation of NBR officials, representing the NBR Reform Unity Parishad, submitted a memorandum to the chief adviser demanding the repeal of the ordinance. The five-member delegation, which included Additional Commissioners Sehela Siddiqua and Hasan Mohammad Tarek Rikabder, handed the memorandum to Shabbir Ahmad, assistant private secretary to the chief adviser.
The memorandum not only opposed the NBR split but also demanded the removal of the NBR chairman, public disclosure of the revenue reform committee’s recommendations, and broad consultations on future reforms with stakeholders such as business leaders, civil society, and political representatives.
A delegation member, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Business Standard that young NBR officers are seeking direct engagement with the chief adviser to express their vision for modernising the country’s revenue system. “We want reforms based on globally accepted best practices,” the memorandum stated.
Concerns were also raised about the establishment of two new divisions under the Ministry of Finance—the Revenue Policy Division and Revenue Management Division—which officials argue would concentrate control under the administration cadre, marginalising NBR’s existing tax and customs personnel.
Meanwhile, protests continued today with a day-long sit-in by customs, VAT, and tax officials at the NBR headquarters in Agargaon. At a press conference yesterday, NBR officers declared an ongoing non-cooperation campaign.
They announced a full work stoppage—excluding customs houses and land customs stations—across all tax, customs, and VAT offices beginning 24 May. If their demands are not met, officials warned of a complete suspension of NBR activities, except for international passenger services, starting 26 May.
For the past week, officials have been staging five-hour daily pen-down strikes to press their demands.