The ongoing protest movement by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has been called off. The announcement was made around 9:30pm on Sunday, effectively ending the protest programme that had continued for the past few days.
The decision to withdraw the protest was announced at a joint press conference by the NBR Reform Unity Council and a delegation of top business leaders. The press conference was held at the office of the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) in Tejgaon, Dhaka.
Speaking on behalf of the business community, BCI President Anwar Ul Alam Chowdhury Parvez and NBR Reform Unity Council President and Additional Commissioner Hasan Muhammad Tarek Rikabdar addressed the media.
Among those present at the press conference were former FBCCI President Mir Nasir Hossain, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan, Syed Nasim Manzur (MD of Apex Footwear and former President of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry), and NBR Reform Unity Council Vice President Mirza Ashik Rana, among other prominent business leaders.
Since Saturday, a complete shutdown by NBR officials and employees had brought import-export activities and overall NBR operations to a standstill.
Due to the protest called by the NBR Reform Unity Council, revenue collection activities were halted at all customs stations – including the NBR headquarters in Dhaka, Chattogram Port, Dhaka Customs House, Benapole, Sonamasjid, Akhaura, and Burimari – paralysing import-export operations.
For the last two months, NBR officials and employees had been protesting, demanding reasonable reforms in the NBR based on consultations with all stakeholders.
