Demanding logical reforms at the National Board of Revenue (NBR), its officials and employees once again observed a three-hour pen-down strike and sit-in protest on Monday.
The protest began in front of the NBR building in Agargaon, at around 9 AM where the participants wore shrouds to symbolize their demands. The demonstration had been announced earlier on Saturday (21 June) by the NBR Reform Unity Council, a platform representing the officials.
Council President and Additional Commissioner Hasan Mohmmad Tarek Rikabdaar, along with General Secretary and Additional Tax Commissioner Sohela Siddika , reiterated their demand for the implementation of “justified reforms” at the NBR.
They demanded that the NBR Chairman must be removed immediately , alleging that his leadership has only delayed the reform process. The Reform Unity Council had previously declared the NBR Chairman “unwelcome” at the NBR headquarters.
The officials also expressed dissatisfaction with the newly formed NBR Reform Committee on 19 June.
They pointed out that the committee — composed of six members from NBR’s tax, customs, and VAT wings — was tasked with amending the Revenue Ordinance. However, no representatives from the NBR Reform Unity Council were included, nor were they consulted before the committee’s formation.
On 12 May, the government issued an ordinance dissolving the NBR and the Internal Resources Division (IRD) and replacing them with two new departments — the Revenue Policy Division and the Revenue Management Division.
Since then, NBR officials under the Reform Unity Council have staged various protests demanding proper inclusion in the reform process.
As part of the reform roadmap, the government had announced that the relevant ordinances would be amended by 31 July. The newly formed committee on Monday was created to fulfill that commitment.
Meanwhile, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has imposed a ban on all types of gatherings and protests in the Agargaon area, from Shishumela to the NBR headquarters. According to a public notification issued Sunday, the ban will remain in effect until further notice.