Income tax officials demand cancellation of draft ordinance for revenue reforms
Officials from the income tax cadre have demanded the cancellation of a draft ordinance that proposes changes to NBR's existing structure.
They also called for finalisation of any such decision only after consulting stakeholders, during an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) organised by the BCS Taxation Association on Saturday (3 May) at the NBR headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka.
The changes in the draft "State Policy and Revenue Management Ordinance, 2025", which awaits approval, seek to abolish the current NBR structure and create two separate entities – Revenue Policy Division and Revenue Management Division – under administrative cadre control.
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Today's meeting also decided that a joint EGM would soon be held by both the income tax and customs associations.
At the EGM, there was also a demand for the public release of the report prepared by the NBR's reform committee.
For reforms in the revenue sector, the government had earlier formed an advisory committee comprising five members, including former NBR chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid.
Both associations had given their recommendations to the committee. Although the committee submitted its report months ago, it has not yet been made public.
Officials from the customs and tax cadres alleged that the draft ordinance has been designed in a way that enables the two newly proposed divisions to be placed under the control of the administration cadre, thus causing discontent among the officers.
Although the draft claims to make the two divisions independent, it also states that the Revenue Policy Division will monitor revenue collection activities. Experts argue this would, in effect, keep revenue collection under policy control.
On Wednesday, officials from all tax, VAT, and customs offices in Dhaka gathered at the NBR headquarters in protest. On that day, the NBR chairman did not attend office.
Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed then held a closed-door meeting with NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan and other stakeholders amid the unrest.
