NBR abolition a mere ‘cosmetic reform’: Moyeen Khan
He called for a comprehensive overhaul of the tax system
The abolition of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) is nothing more than a "cosmetic reform" as it lacks any potential to bring meaningful change, BNP Standing Committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan said today (14 May).
Speaking to the media this morning, the BNP leader expressed deep scepticism about the effectiveness of simply "rebranding or renaming the institution".
"Our core issue with the NBR is corruption. Changing the signboard or rebranding won't fix the country's deeply flawed and deteriorating financial infrastructure," he added.
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He also criticised the influence of international financial institutions like the World Bank and the IMF, stating that they often fail to grasp the informal nature of Bangladesh's economy.
"Their textbook solutions may appear sound in theory, but they do little to address the root problems of our financial system," Moyeen said.
The senior BNP leader pointed out that even the finance adviser reportedly assured NBR staff that they would remain unaffected by the changes, suggesting that "the restructuring is superficial at best."
"If that's the case, then this much-hyped reform is nothing more than an empty exercise," he added.
Emphasising the urgency of deeper change, Moyeen Khan called for a comprehensive overhaul of the tax system.
"There are credible allegations that the current setup facilitates more tax evasion than it collects. Without structural reform, these problems will persist," he said.
