Why finance adviser's meeting with NBR officials fell apart

Amid ongoing protests, administrative gridlock, and revenue losses following the ordinance dissolving the National Board of Revenue (NBR), a highly anticipated meeting was held on Tuesday with protesting NBR officials and members of the Revenue Reform Committee in the presence of the finance adviser and two other advisers, aiming to resolve the crisis.

However, at the very outset of the meeting, Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed said, "I won't prolong the meeting… I'll give no more than 6–7 minutes."

"I have another meeting with the cabinet secretary and the secretary of Public Administration; I can't keep them waiting," he added, even asking who would keep time.

This is how NBR officials described Tuesday's meeting with the finance adviser to journalists.

The Business Standard spoke to several officials who were present at the meeting. They said both the NBR officials and members of the Revenue Reform Committee were somewhat taken aback by the finance adviser's opening remarks.

Aminur Rahman Khondaker, a member of the Revenue Reform Committee who attended the meeting, told TBS, "We were waiting in the conference room for the finance minister when the secretary of Public Administration entered with his team and said they too had a meeting scheduled with the finance adviser at the same time."

As a result, the discussion was brief. NBR officials, along with members of the Revenue Reform Advisory Committee, clearly stated that the reform framework proposed in their report was not reflected in the ordinance.

The committee members said that implementing reforms in line with their report would be beneficial for the country and in the national interest. They also asserted that the leadership of the two newly formed institutions—Revenue Policy and Revenue Management—should come from within the NBR itself.

But sidestepping these concerns, the finance adviser later told journalists, "Any misunderstandings regarding the NBR have been cleared. The separation of the NBR into two divisions will remain in place."

One official present at the meeting told TBS on condition of anonymity, "The finance adviser instructed the NBR chairman to issue a press release saying that NBR officials had been heard and that actions would follow later."

At that point, one NBR official said, "Sir, we haven't been allowed to speak."

To which the finance adviser replied, "I don't give this much time to anyone. I've heard plenty from you. When I was an assistant commissioner, we weren't even allowed to enter the secretary's room."

He continued, "You're protesting, involving the bar association, TIB, CPD, filing writs – I don't care about any of that."

When another official tried to respond, the adviser cut him off.

Later, the finance ministry issued a statement saying, "The concerns, suggestions, and opinions of the officials regarding the ordinance were heard with importance. The finance adviser assured that the raised issues would be duly considered."

That same night, the protesting NBR officials under the banner of 'NBR Reform Unity Council' issued a statement declaring that the discussion was not fruitful.

Yesterday, the protesters announced a full-scale work stoppage and further non-cooperation.

Efforts to reach the finance adviser for comment, including phone calls and WhatsApp messages with the details, went unanswered.