B Mirror Desk : The deadlock between the protesting officials and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) intensified today as officials resumed their demonstrations, stating that discussions with government advisers regarding the repeal of the new ordinance had not yielded positive results.

This marks the sixth day of protests, disrupting trade, business operations, and revenue-related activities. NBR officials are opposing a new ordinance that aims to dissolve the NBR and the Internal Resources Division, creating two distinct divisions: one for tax policy development and another for revenue collection. The intention behind this reform is to enhance the tax system and reduce potential conflicts of interest among officials who have previously handled both policy creation and revenue collection.

Although the ordinance has not yet been implemented, the protesting officials and employees are primarily contesting certain provisions within the law. A significant concern is the clause permitting government officials to be appointed as secretaries to lead the two new divisions. Tax and customs officials contend that this would unfairly favor administrative cadre officers within the civil service, sidelining revenue cadre officials from leadership roles in revenue policy and collection. During a meeting yesterday with advisers, including Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed, the protesting officials expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of assurances, leading them to declare the continuation of their protests.

The NBR Reform Unity Council, which had previously suspended its daily five-hour pen-down strike since last Wednesday, has urged officials to resume sit-ins until new programs are announced by noon.A large number of revenue officials from Dhaka had gathered on the premises of the NBR headquarters, while their counterparts outside the capital were observing the sit-in at their respective offices, according to sources.

Removing the ordinance on reforming the revenue administration was one of the three demands made earlier by the protesting officials and staff.
Their other requests include inclusive, consultative, and sustainable revenue administration reforms as well as the public release of a state advisory committee’s report on NBR reforms that was delivered to the finance ministry.