The government has approved significant amendments to the much-debated Revenue Policy and Management Ordinance, 2025, placing a clear emphasis on expertise, experience, and fairness in leadership roles.
The decision was made during a high-level meeting of the Advisory Council, chaired by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, held at the Chief Adviser’s Office on Thursday.
One of the most important changes ensures that the secretary of the Revenue Policy Division must now be a government official with proven experience in areas such as macroeconomics, trade policy, planning, or revenue management—marking a shift away from more general qualifications initially proposed in the ordinance.
Following the meeting, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam briefed the media at the Foreign Service Academy, outlining the newly approved changes and the government’s rationale.
The revisions come after more than six weeks of intense protests by officials of the now-defunct National Board of Revenue (NBR), who had opposed the original ordinance issued on May 12, 2025.
The original directive had abolished the NBR and created two new entities: the Revenue Policy Division and the Revenue Management Division.
NBR officers protested the move, citing concerns over transparency, qualifications, and the sudden restructuring of their roles. Their demonstrations led to work stoppages in tax and customs offices across the country by late June.
The standoff was temporarily resolved following mediation by business leaders.
In response to the growing unrest, a government review committee was formed on June 29 under the leadership of Muhammad Fauzul Kabir Khan, Adviser to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.
The committee proposed a number of revisions to address concerns over competence and fairness in appointments and institutional structure. These recommendations have now been adopted.
The press secretary said, “The NBR will be divided into two separate divisions. The head or secretary of the Revenue Policy Division may be appointed from officials of any cadre.”
However, his appointment will be made on the basis of competence, experience, and fairness, he added.
He also stated that for the Revenue Policy Division, the government retains the flexibility to appoint either an NBR official or any other qualified officer with expertise in macroeconomics, trade policy, planning, or fiscal policy.
The approved changes significantly broaden the eligibility criteria for senior roles in both the Revenue Policy and Revenue Management Divisions. Positions will now be filled by officials with relevant experience in areas like income tax, VAT, customs law, trade agreements, research, data analytics, IT, and legal drafting.
The scope of responsibilities has also been expanded. Rather than simply enforcing tax laws, the policy division will now assess the economic impact of tax expenditures and provide analysis to guide long-term fiscal planning. The management division will oversee implementation, human resources, and coordination with other departments, with a renewed focus on efficiency and automation.
Another notable amendment clarifies the transfer of NBR staff. While they will initially be assigned to the Revenue Management Division, future redeployment to the Policy Division will follow procedures set by regulation, ensuring a more structured and fair approach to staffing.