Army, police deployed at NBR as officials go on nationwide strike, halting clearing of imported goods
The NBR Reform Unity Council on Wednesday announced a series of fresh programmes, including continuous non-cooperation with the NBR chairman, to press home their demands
Members of the army and police were deployed in front of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) headquarters in Dhaka this morning (24 May) amid escalating tensions over ongoing protests by NBR officials.
Meanwhile, a full-fledged nationwide strike enforced by NBR officers and employees is underway as they press for their four-point demand.
The strike enforced by NBR Reform Unity Council began in the morning at all offices of the Tax, Customs and VAT Departments, keeping the Customs Houses and LC Stations out of its purview.
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The officials threatened to continue their protests until their all demands are met.
The old demands are: the issued ordinance should be immediately repealed, recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Revenue Reform should be published on the website for the public and After discussing and reviewing the draft proposed by the NBR and the recommendations of the Advisory Committee, appropriate and sustainable revenue system reforms should be ensured with the opinions of all stakeholders, including aspiring organisations, business organisations, civil society and political leadership.
NBR officials told The Business Standard that while the bill of entry for imported consignments can be submitted online, processing has been halted. As a result, imported goods cannot be cleared.
Witnesses said security personnel were seen stationed on the NBR premises since morning.
An NBR official told UNB that the NBR chairman is scheduled to be at its headquarters as government, semi-government, banks, schools, and colleges are open per the directives of the government. "To avoid an unpleasant situation, the army and police forces have been deployed," he added.
On Wednesday (21 May), the NBR Reform Unity Council announced a series of fresh programmes to press home their demands, including continuous non-cooperation with the NBR chairman.
As part of their scheduled programme, the officials of NBR were seen gathered in the building with placards.
A sit-in programme was staged at NBR and its respective offices in and outside Dhaka on Thursday, said a statement.
A complete strike will be observed in all offices of the Tax, Customs and VAT Department, except Customs House and LC Stations, on 24 May and 25 May.
The strike will be observed from 9am to 5pm at the Customs House and LC Stations on these two days. But export and international passenger services will be exempted from the strike.
A complete strike will be observed in all the offices of the Tax, Customs and VAT Department, except International Passenger Services, from 26 May.
The Unity on Wednesday included a new demand with their old three demands, which is the immediate removal of NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman.
NBR Reform Unity Council launches non-cooperation programme
Meanwhile, the process of forming an ad hoc committee of the NBR Reform Unity Council, comprising officials and employees from all levels of the Customs, VAT and Tax Departments of the NBR, has almost been finalised.
