Army, police, RAB deployed as protesting NBR staff barred from entering office

A large number of army, police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Coast Guard and Ansar personnel were deployed around Agargaon's Revenue Bhaban this morning (26 June), as protests by officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) continued, demanding the removal of its chairman, Abdur Rahman Khan.

However, law enforcement agencies barred the protesting staff from entering the premises today (26 June).

Under the banner of NBR Reform Unity Parishad, NBR officials and employees have been observing a sit-in and pen-down programme inside the NBR Bhaban for several days, protesting alleged irregularities and mismanagement by the chairman.

Although the Finance Ministry issued a circular yesterday (25 June) asking NBR staff to return to work and offering assurances that the issues would be resolved through dialogue, the protestors said they had received no official communication and therefore refused to join the proposed talks. Instead, they announced a new programme - "March to NBR" - on 28 June, with a threat of a complete shutdown if their demands are not met.

Earlier, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) imposed a ban on all types of gatherings in and around the NBR Bhaban starting Saturday (21 June).

Today (26 June), despite the restrictions, the NBR Reform Unity Parishad began another sit-in and pen-down programme from 12pm to 5pm at the Revenue Bhaban premises.

However, demonstrators claimed they were being blocked from entering the NBR premises by police and army personnel.

"We are not being allowed to enter the NBR building; we are now positioned outside," said Hasan Muhammad Tareq Rikabder, additional commissioner and president of the NBR Reform Unity Parishad, told The Business Standard.