The National Board of Revenue (NBR) Reform Unity Council on Monday threatened to enforce a complete shutdown of all tax, customs and VAT offices across the country starting Saturday if NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan is not removed from his post.
Council President Hasan Muhammad Tarek Rikabdar and General Secretary Sehela Siddika issued the threat at a press conference held at the NBR headquarters in Agargaon.
They alleged that the chairman is acting as a “political agent of the former Awami League government” and is attempting to destabilise the country’s revenue system.
As part of their ongoing protest, officers and staff of various NBR offices in Dhaka observed a sit-in at the NBR headquarters on Monday.
A pen-down strike was also observed from 9 am to 12 pm, with several participants wearing symbolic white shrouds.
The Council alleged that five officials of the Income Tax Wing were transferred on Sunday what it termed ‘retaliatory measures’.
NBR officials begin pen-down strike again
These included two officials from the Intelligence and Investigation Unit, one from the NBR Board Office, and two others from tax zones in Dhaka and Cumilla.
Terming the transfers “vindictive and oppressive,” the Council said at the press conference that if the orders are not withdrawn by Monday a fresh round of protests will begin on Tuesday.
The new programme includes a sit-in and pen-down strike from 9 am to 2 pm at all tax, customs and VAT offices nationwide—except for international passenger services and exports.
If similar transfer orders are issued again, further programs will follow on June 25 and 26, including sit-ins and pen-down strikes from 12 pm to 5 pm, also exempting international passenger and export services.
The Council warned that if the Chairman is not removed and the transfer orders not cancelled by June 27 a “complete and indefinite shutdown” of all customs, VAT, and income tax offices will begin on Saturday.
In a written statement, the Council leaders said that the NBR Chairman has recently transferred senior commissioners in violation of established transfer policy out of vindictiveness.
At the same time, he appointed a controversial officer to a sensitive position in the tax administration, it said.
NBR officials to observe sit-in Monday
They also accused the Chairman of mobilising outsiders through a syndicate to incite violence against their peaceful movement and intimidating participating officers with threats of punishment and further transfers.
“These actions are disrupting a normal work environment and could severely impact revenue collection,” the statement adds.