Selina Sultana Becomes CIC’s First Woman Chief

One of the significant changes is the appointment of Tax Commissioner Md Hafiz Al Asad as Director General of the Tax Inspection Directorate in Dhaka.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has carried out a major reshuffle in its income tax administration, with Selina Sultana becoming the first woman in the organisation’s history to head the Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) as its Director General.

Selina Sultana, currently Commissioner of Tax Zone-4, Dhaka, has been appointed Director General of the CIC, a specialised intelligence unit of the NBR.

In separate orders issued on August 20 (Thursday), the NBR reassigned 22 tax commissioners and changed their offices and responsibilities. On the same day, 12 additional tax commissioners were given the rank of tax commissioner on a current-charge basis, with their respective postings also determined.

The orders were signed by Wakil Ahmed, First Secretary (Tax Administration) of the Tax Administration-1 branch of the Internal Resources Division. The orders, issued in the public interest, will take effect immediately.

The reshuffle comes after the newly formed BNP-led government assumed office with an absolute majority in the 13th parliamentary election, making it one of the most significant reorganisations of the revenue administration since the new government took charge.

Historic Change at the Intelligence Unit

The appointment of Selina Sultana as Director General of the CIC is being viewed as the most notable aspect of the reshuffle.

For the first time, a woman officer has been placed at the helm of the NBR’s specialised intelligence unit. Her appointment marks a new milestone in an important area of an administration that has traditionally been dominated by men.

The CIC plays a key role in the NBR’s intelligence structure. The unit is involved in collecting and analysing intelligence and conducting investigations related to tax evasion, income tax irregularities and tax offences. It also deals with intelligence concerning various forms of tax-related financial misconduct.

Selina Sultana’s Long Career in Tax Administration

Selina Sultana belongs to the 20th batch of the National Taxation cadre. Born on October 28, 1974, she joined the National Board of Revenue as an Assistant Tax Commissioner on May 31, 2001.

Over more than two decades in tax administration, she has served in various capacities, including as a Joint Tax Commissioner. Her extensive administrative experience, along with her experience as a tax commissioner at the field level, is expected to be valuable in her new role at the CIC.

Her appointment places her at the centre of one of the NBR’s most sensitive responsibilities—strengthening intelligence-led efforts to identify tax evasion and financial irregularities.

22 Tax Commissioners Reassigned

Under the reshuffle, commissioners from several tax zones in Dhaka, including Tax Zones-13, 11, 24, 4, 8 and 18, have been transferred to different tax zones, tax appellate zones and key units of the NBR.

One of the significant changes is the appointment of Tax Commissioner Md Hafiz Al Asad as Director General of the Tax Inspection Directorate in Dhaka.

Hafiz Al Asad was serving at Tax Zone-Dinajpur and was also holding additional responsibility for Tax Zone-Rangpur. Under the new order, he has been transferred to Dhaka and given charge as Director General of the Tax Inspection Directorate.

Meanwhile, Syed Mahidul Hasan, Director General of the Tax Inspection Directorate, has been appointed Director General of the Income Tax Intelligence and Investigation Directorate.

The reshuffle also includes the transfer of Mohammad Abdur Rakib, the incumbent Director General of the CIC, to Tax Zone-8 as Commissioner.

Similarly, Dr Lutfunnahar Begum, Director General of the Income Tax Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, has been transferred to Tax Zone-11.

Other notable changes include the posting of Md Mizanur Rahman to Tax Zone-Noakhali and Md Nasirur Rasul to Tax Zone-Dinajpur.

Kabir Uddin Molla has been posted to Tax Zone-4, Shahidul Islam to Tax Appellate Zone-3, and Nazma Parvin to the Central Tax Survey Zone.

Overall, the responsibilities of 22 tax commissioners have been changed, marking a major reorganisation at the senior level of the income tax administration.

12 Officials Given Current Charge as Tax Commissioners

In a separate order issued the same day, 12 additional tax commissioners were given current charge as tax commissioners.

They are Dr Nurul Amin, Mahbubul Morshed, Mizanur Rahman, Mohammad Naimur Rasul, AZM Nuruzzaman, Md Moniruzzaman, Ashraful Islam, Saleheen Siraj, Mohammad Shah Alam, Mossaddeq Hossain, Mirza Mohammad Mamun Sadat, Dulal Chandra Pandey. Their respective workplaces were also determined through separate orders.

Thus, the NBR has simultaneously undertaken two major personnel changes—reassigning 22 tax commissioners and giving 12 additional commissioners current charge as tax commissioners—resulting in a broad restructuring of the senior income tax administration.

Why the Reshuffle Matters

Strengthening the efficiency and intelligence capabilities of the tax administration has become increasingly important for the NBR.

The agency has identified modernisation, automation, greater use of information technology, updated databases for revenue-related litigation, e-filing and enhanced institutional capacity as important priorities.

Against this backdrop, changes in the leadership of key intelligence and investigation units could have implications beyond routine administrative transfers.

Tax evasion, concealment of income and assets, complex financial transactions and other forms of revenue leakage increasingly require data-driven intelligence, coordinated investigations and stronger institutional capacity.

For the new leadership of the CIC, one of the key challenges will therefore be to turn intelligence into actionable investigations, identify genuine cases of tax evasion and ensure that investigations produce tangible outcomes.

A New Chapter in Women’s Leadership

Selina Sultana’s appointment also carries significance from the perspective of women’s leadership in Bangladesh’s revenue administration.

Although women officers have long served in important positions within the NBR, the appointment of a woman as Director General of the CIC represents a new milestone for the organisation.

The effectiveness of the appointment, however, will ultimately depend on the CIC’s ability to strengthen intelligence gathering, ensure impartial investigations, improve inter-agency coordination and facilitate timely legal action.

At the centre of this change is Selina Sultana—the first woman to lead the CIC. Her biggest challenge now will be to make the revenue intelligence system more data-driven, effective and accountable, while translating intelligence into concrete action against tax evasion and financial irregularities.