The government has suspended nine officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on a temporary basis.
A notification in this regard was issued on Tuesday by the Customs-2 wing of the Internal Resources Division (IRD) under the Ministry of Finance.
IRD Secretary and NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan signed the order on behalf of the president.
The temporarily suspended tax officials are Dhaka Tax Zone-2 Deputy Commissioner (Joint Tax Commissioner) Masuma Khatun, Tax Zone-15 Joint Tax Commissioner Murad Ahmed, Kushtia Tax Zone Joint Tax Commissioner Mohammad Morshed Uddin Khan, Noakhali Tax Zone Joint Tax Commissioner Monalisa Shahreen Susmita, Cox’s Bazar Tax Zone Joint Tax Commissioner Md Ashraful Alam Prodhan, Khulna Tax Zone Additional Tax Commissioner Mohammad Shihabul Islam, Rangpur Tax Zone Additional Tax Commissioner Ms Nushrat Jahan Shami, Cumilla Tax Zone Additional Tax Commissioner Imam Tauhid Hasan Shakil, and National Board of Revenue (NBR) First Secretary Tanzina Rais.
The notifications, issued in public interest and signed by National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman and Internal Resources Division Secretary Md Abdur Rahman Khan, state that disciplinary action has been initiated against the nine officials for tearing up NBR’s June 22 transfer order in public and displaying insolent behavior.
Under Section 39(1) of the Government Employment Act, 2018, they have been temporarily suspended from service while being assigned to the position of NBR’s special duty officers. During their suspension, they will receive subsistence allowance as per guidelines.
Earlier on June 24, revenue officials at the NBR headquarters in Agargaon publicly tore up two transfer orders, calling them “vindictive” and “issued with oppressive intent”, which later sparked widespread criticism and condemnation.
On June 28 and 29, key NBR wings, including Customs, VAT and Income Tax, had remained virtually inoperative due to the “complete shutdown” programme and “march for NBR” programme.
The officials, under the banner of NBR Reform Unity Council, had called the protest programmes.
These protest programmes had continued for two months, demanding structural reforms and the removal of the NBR chairman citing allegations of administrative irregularities, officer intimidation and obstruction of pro-reform efforts.
The protests began after the government issued an ordinance on May 12 dissolving the NBR and the Internal Resources Division, replacing them with the Revenue Policy Division and the Revenue Management Division.