Trade activities disrupted as taxmen abstain from work

The country's overseas trade activities have been severely disrupted as officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) continued their protest, which began on May 14 in response to an ordinance abolishing the revenue authority two days prior.

Yesterday, the protesting officials of the NBR began a work abstention across the country to press home a four-point demand, which includes the repeal of the tax reform ordinance and the resignation of NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan.

The work abstention started after the platform NBR Reform Unity Council rejected the finance ministry's promise that it would amend the ordinance.

Since morning, officials and staff of all tax zones, customs houses, and VAT commissionerates in Dhaka and outside the capital have been abstaining from work to realise their demands, which also include turning the NBR into a separate and specialised agency instead of dissolving the entity.

They were seen chanting slogans and holding placards while law enforcement personnel took precautionary positions at the protest site.

Officials said similar demonstrations are being held at NBR offices across the country.

No work, except for export-related activities and services for international passengers, is being carried out at customs houses. Officials at the field offices of VAT and taxes are also abstaining from work, they added.

The release of goods from Chattogram Port is also being disrupted due to the protest.

"We are unable to carry out any work as the customs house has halted all assessment procedures," said Atiq Ullah, a customs agent from a clearing and forwarding firm.

All categories of officials and staff at the customs house are participating in the work abstention.

During a visit to the tax office in Agrabad, a correspondent of this newspaper observed that service seekers had been unable to access any services since Saturday morning. The hall room, where customs assessments usually take place, remained silent due to the strike.

In Khulna, members of the Khulna Tax Lawyers Association and officials from the Khulna tax region held separate demonstrations.

"We support the NBR Reform Unity Council and are taking part in the movement across all 27 offices under the Khulna tax region in line with protests taking place nationwide," said Delowara Jahan, deputy commissioner of taxes.

At around 4:30 pm, a visit to Tax Building-2 in the city's Mujgunni area revealed that it was locked and completely deserted. "No one was seen there," the correspondent noted.

Advocate Khan Moniruzzaman, president of the Khulna Tax Lawyers Association, demanded the immediate withdrawal of the ordinance.

"We are open to reforms, but the NBR must remain intact. We want reforms that reduce public suffering and are informed by the voices of all stakeholders," he said.

Commenting on the reform agenda, he added: "Yes, we need a sustainable revenue policy, legal amendments, and the modernisation and automation of the tax system. But this must be done transparently and in consultation with all parties—not in secrecy or under the cover of night."

This is the eighth day of protests by the NBR officials. It began after the interim government, on May 12, issued the Revenue Policy and Revenue Management Ordinance that seeks to form two divisions—one for tax policy and the other for revenue collection.

While the government argues that the structural overhaul is aimed at preventing conflicts of interest between policymaking and implementation, revenue officials claim that provisions of the ordinance are discriminatory.

The protest resumed by the end of last week after failed negotiations between the officials and the government, which has been disrupting imports, tax-related activities, and revenue collection, exacerbating concerns over the NBR's ability to meet its fiscal year targets.

On Thursday, the finance ministry backtracked from its earlier stance and said it would bring "required amendments" to the new ordinance.

The protesting employees welcomed the government's announcement in a statement late Thursday but said the move did not address their key demands.