Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed is set to meet with representatives of protesting National Board of Revenue (NBR) officials tomorrow at 5pm in an effort to resolve ongoing tensions over the newly proposed Revenue Policy and Revenue Management Ordinance, 2025.
The meeting comes amid sustained protests led by the NBR Unity Reform Council, a collective of tax, customs, and VAT officials who have been staging sit-ins at the NBR headquarters in Agargaon and regional offices across the country since June 22. Demonstrators have three key demands: the removal of the NBR chairman, reversal of recent transfer orders, and withdrawal of the controversial ordinance.
At the heart of the dispute is the government’s May 12 approval of reforms that separate revenue policy formulation from collection functions. While economists and business groups have welcomed the changes as necessary modernization, many NBR officials view them as a dilution of their authority.
The Finance Ministry has maintained that stakeholder consultations will continue until July 31, leaving room for potential amendments. Adviser Ahmed expressed optimism about tomorrow’s discussion, stating, “This dialogue will help address concerns while ensuring we don’t compromise on crucial revenue collection targets during this critical period of the fiscal year.”
With protests scheduled to continue daily from 12 pm to 5 pm until demands are met, tomorrow’s meeting is being seen as a pivotal opportunity to bridge differences. Observers suggest the outcome could determine whether Bangladesh can implement these governance reforms while maintaining operational stability in its tax administration system.
The proposed ordinance forms part of broader efforts to modernize revenue administration, with support from international development partners. However, its implementation has sparked the most significant show of dissent within NBR ranks in recent years.