NBR officials go on nationwide shutdown

Officials and employees of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) today launched an indefinite shutdown programme, demanding the removal of its chairman and an end to what they term 'vengeful transfers.'

After four consecutive days of a pen-down strike, officials escalated their protest by enforcing a complete shutdown of services, defying government requests to withdraw the programme.

Only international passenger services remain exempt from the ongoing work stoppage.

Organised under the banner of the NBR Reform Unity Council, the protest started at 9:00am, with a large number of NBR officials participating from across the country, disrupting exports and imports activities and hampering revenue collection.

As businesses suffer, top business chambers are expected to hold a press conference today.

A significant deployment of law enforcement personnel—including the Army, Police, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB)—was seen both inside and in front of the NBR headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka.

Protesters claimed that entry to and exit from the building were restricted, with many demonstrators were seen at the main gates of the NBR premises.