Finance adviser to sit with protesting NBR officials

Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed has decided to sit with representatives of the taxation, customs, and excise cadres of the Bangladesh Civil Service at 5pm tomorrow, in an effort to defuse escalating tensions over the proposed Revenue Policy and Revenue Management Ordinance, 2025.

The decision to hold the meeting comes at a time when officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) resumed demonstrations on June 22, demanding the removal of the NBR chairman, the reversal of recent transfer orders, and the repeal of the ordinance.

The NBR Unity Reform Council, a coalition of protesting personnel from the tax, customs, and VAT departments, held a sit-in demonstration at the NBR headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka. Similar protests took place in different NBR field offices across the country.

Demonstrations are scheduled to continue today and tomorrow from 12pm to 5pm unless the authorities meet the demands.

The government has previously pledged to incorporate necessary amendments by July 31, the final day of the 2024-25 fiscal year, following consultations with relevant stakeholders.

The ordinance, approved on May 12, seeks to delineate revenue policy formulation from revenue collection — a structural shift supported by economists, business leaders, and development partners but strongly opposed by a section of NBR officials.

Tomorrow's meeting is expected to focus on clarifying misconceptions and identifying potential amendments based on broad consensus.

The finance ministry has expressed optimism that the dialogue will facilitate smoother implementation of the reforms.

Meanwhile, the finance adviser has urged all NBR officials to remain at their posts and prioritise revenue collection in the final stretch of the fiscal year.