Defying transfer orders: 14 NBR officials suspended
The government has suspended 14 more officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) for defying transfer orders and allegedly tearing up their transfer letters in public.
The action comes after the government recently sent four senior NBR officials into retirement in "public interest" and suspended the commissioner of the Chattogram Custom House.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. In separate notifications issued yesterday, the suspensions were made effective immediately.
The suspended officials include three additional commissioners: Hasan Muhammad Tarek Rekabdar, Mirza Ashiq Rana, and Sifat-e-Mariam; six joint commissioners of taxes: Shahadat Jamil, Masuma Khatun, Murad Ahmed, Mohammad Morshed Uddin Khan, Monalisa Shahreen Sushmita, and Md Ashraful Alam Prodhan; three deputy commissioners: Mohammad Shihabul Islam, Nushrat Jahan Shomi, and Imam Tauhid Hasan Shakil; and two revenue officials: Sobuj Mia and Shafiul Boshr.
Of them, Rikabder and Rana were the president and vice-president of the NBR Reform Unity Council, a platform of tax and customs officials, which staged the recent protests that disrupted exports and imports by enforcing a countrywide shutdown on June 28 and 29 to press home a set of demands.
Their demands included the removal of the NBR chairman, inclusion of their representatives in a tax reform panel formed by the NBR, and an end to what they termed "vengeful transfers".
According to the notifications, the officials not only refused to comply with the transfer order issued on June 22 but also openly expressed support for other colleagues who took similar actions.
They were accused of publicly tearing up the official order, demonstrating what the NBR termed "arrogance".
In response, the NBR has decided to initiate departmental proceedings against all 14 officials following formal investigations.
As per government rules, the officials have been temporarily suspended and made "OSD or Officers on Special Duty" at the NBR headquarters. During the suspension period, they will receive subsistence allowances as per applicable regulations.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Commission has launched investigations into 16 NBR officials over corruption allegations in three phases.
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