NBR dissolution: Protesters say meeting with advisers not fruitful, announces sit-in programme tomorrow
After the meeting, Adviser Salehuddin said the "misconception" between the interim government advisers and the NBR officials has been cleared, with the finance ministry now set to work on the issue
Protesting employees of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) said they will observe a sit-in programme across the country tomorrow (21 May), and will announce their new protest programme, as today's meeting with three advisers of the interim government was not fruitful.
In a press statement issued tonight (20 May), the protesters said, "The meeting was not fruitful… A formal press briefing will be held at the National Board of Revenue premises tomorrow at 12pm, and the NBR Reform Unity Parishad will announce its next action plan."
They also stated that tomorrow, from 9am until the end of the press briefing, officers and employees of all levels of the offices under the NBR in Dhaka will observe a sit-in programme at the NBR, and officers and employees of all other offices outside Dhaka will observe a sit-in programme at their respective offices.
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However, speaking to reporters after the meeting, Adviser Salehuddin said the "misconception" between the interim government advisers and the NBR officials has been cleared, with the finance ministry now set to work on the issue.
Today's meeting between NBR employees and the interim government officials was attended by Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed, Environment Adviser Syed Rizwana Hasan and Energy Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan, NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman among others.
The finance adviser said, "The demands made by the NBR officials will be fulfilled as much as possible while formulating the rules for the two new departments."
He also declared that there will be no more formal meetings with the NBR officials on this issue. "There is an advisory committee on this issue, and the NBR officials will discuss it with that committee.
Responding to a question whether the NBR officials were satisfied with the meeting, the adviser said, "We asked them to withdraw the strike. It won't really matter to me what they have to say about it."
Meanwhile, NBR Chairman Rahman said the finance adviser and other advisers have listened to what the board officials had to say regarding the recent dissolution of the revenue board.
Employees of NBR have been observing a pen-down protest since the NBR was abolished and divided into two divisions through an ordinance issued on 12 May.
The protesters allege that the ordinance to abolish NBR and form the divisions was issued in secret and in a hurry, ignoring the recommendations of the Revenue Reform Committee without publishing them.
They fear this will result in their exclusion and marginalisation. In protest, they have been observing a pen-down strike for the past five days.
