Agitating NBR officials seek CA’s intervention

The protesting staff and officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) have sought Chief Adviser Prof Mohammad Yunus’s intervention to put an end to the prevailing stalemate at the central tax administration.

NBR Reform Oikya Parishad made the demand during a press conference on Thursday, issuing an ultimatum to remove NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan by 27 June.

If the chief adviser does not take any initiatives to resolve the prevailing crisis, NBR, tax and VAT officers from across the country will observe a complete shutdown nationwide from 28 June, Hasan Mohammad Tarek Rikabder, president of the platform, said.

There is no alternative, but to remove the NBR chairman right now for transparent reform of the central tax administration, he said.

Meanwhile, the government deployed a large number of army, police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Coast Guard, and Ansar members at the NBR office in Agargaon area of Dhaka, hindering the entrance of its agitating staff and officials.

The law enforcers were deployed in and around the area around 12 noon when the agitating staff and officers were continuing their agitation, demanding the removal of the NBR chairman.

The law enforcers were not allowing any officials of the central tax administration either to enter or to come out of the office till 5 pm.

In this situation, some agitators are continuing their movement outside the office, while others are doing so inside it to press home their demand.

Earlier on Wednesday, Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed told reporters about a proposed meeting with NBR officials to resolve the ongoing crisis, but the protesters outright rejected it.

Later, they announced a “March to NBR” programme on 28 June, with participation from officials of the tax, customs and VAT departments.

On 26 May, the government announced that necessary amendments to the ordinance would be made through discussions by 31 July.

On 12 May, the government issued an ordinance that abolished the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the Internal Resources Department (IRD), replacing the two units with the Revenue Policy Department and the Revenue Management Department.

Since then, a section of the NBR staff and officers have been continuing the movement against the government's move.