United News of Bangladesh

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has extended the deadline for submitting VAT returns online through the Integrated VAT Administration System (iVAS) for the tax period of May, 2025. In consideration of the extended public holidays due to the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha, the deadline has been extended till June 19, said a notification issued by the NBR. The extension aims to facilitate taxpayers in meeting their compliance obligations amid the long holiday period.

Members of the army and police were deployed in front of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) headquarters in the capital on Saturday morning amid escalating tensions over ongoing protests by NBR officials. Witnesses said security personnel were seen stationed on the NBR premises in the morning. “So far, we have learned from police that forces have been deployed as per the instruction of the Home Affairs Adviser,” an NBR official told UNB. “Today, the NBR chairman is scheduled to be here as government, semi-government, banks, schools and colleges are open per the directives of the government. To avoid an unpleasant situation the army and police forces have been deployed,” he said. The NBR Reform Unity Council on Wednesday announced a series of fresh programmes, including continuous non-cooperation with the NBR chairman, to press home their demands. As part of their scheduled programme, the officials of NBR were seen gathered in the building with placards.  Anti-split NBR protest gets boost from a platform of BCS officers A sit-in programme staged at NBR and its respective offices in and outside Dhaka on Thursday, said a statement. But export and international passenger services will be exempted from this. A complete strike will be observed in all offices of the Tax, Customs and VAT Department, except Customs House and LC Stations, on May 24 and May 25. The strike will be observed from 9 am to 5 pm at Customs House and LC Stations on these two days. But, export and international passenger services will be exempted from the strike. A complete strike will be observed in all the offices of the Tax, Customs and VAT Department, except International Passenger Services, from May 26. The Unity on Wednesday included a new demand with their old three ones, which is immediate removal of NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman. The old demands are: the issued ordinance should be immediately repealed, recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Revenue Reform should be published on the website for the public and After discussing and reviewing the draft proposed by the NBR and the recommendations of the Advisory Committee, appropriate and sustainable revenue system reforms should be ensured with the opinions of all stakeholders, including aspiring organisations, business organisations, civil society and political leadership.  NBR Reform Unity Council launches non-cooperation programme Meanwhile, the process of forming an ad hoc committee of the NBR Reform Unity Council, comprising officials and employees from all levels of the Customs, VAT and Tax Departments of the NBR, has almost been finalised.

NBR Reform Unity Council on Tuesday termed their meeting with the finance adviser unsuccessful. In a press release it said that a meeting was held at the Conference Room of the Finance Division between a 13-member delegation of the NBR Reform Unity Council and the adviser, Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, in the presence of two other advisers. The members of the Revenue Reform Advisory Committee, three former members of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the secretary of the Finance Ministry, and the chairman of the National Board of Revenue were also present at the meeting. “We would like to inform all concerned that the meeting ended without yielding any fruitful outcome,” the press release said. An official press briefing will be held on Wednesday to announce the next course of action by the NBR Reform Unity Council. NBR to remain split, misconceptions cleared: Finance Adviser Furthermore, it said that all officials and employees of all levels working under the Income Tax, Customs, and VAT departments in Dhaka-based offices of the NBR will hold a sit-in program on the ground floor of the NBR headquarters.  Officials and employees of NBR offices outside Dhaka will carry out similar sit-in programs at their respective workplaces. It will start from 9:00am and continue until the conclusion of the press briefing.

Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed will sit with the National Board of Revenue (NBR) officials to discuss its reform issues on Tuesday. The meeting will start at 3:30 pm at the Finance Ministry on Tuesday, said Al Amin Sheikh, public relations officer of NBR. Besides, a six-hour fresh pen-down strike enforced by the NBR Reform Unity Council was observed on Sunday to press home their demands for sustainable and inclusive NBR reform. The Council’s key demands include the immediate withdrawal of the proposed Revenue Ordinance, public disclosure of the NBR Reform Advisory Committee’s report and a comprehensive reform of the revenue system through meaningful consultations with stakeholders like NBR officials, business associations, civil society members and political leaders. The Unity Council emphasised their desire for a peaceful resolution through dialogue with the government. “We hope the government will sit down with us for discussions. Let us make it clear—our door for dialogue has always been open, remains open and will continue to remain open,” said a statement on Saturday. Earlier on Saturday, a five-hour pen-down strike was spontaneously observed from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm across various offices under the Customs, VAT and Tax departments, as well as the National Board of Revenue (NBR). Officials and employees at all levels participated in the programme, with stakeholders from various sectors expressing solidarity with the movement. NBR split logical, protests regrettable: Prof Abu Ahmed In their statement, the Council reiterated that a timely and sustainable reform of the revenue system is essential for national interest. They noted that NBR officials have long been demanding such reforms and yet the government issued the ordinance without consulting the very stakeholders responsible for its implementation. Besides, the report from the reform committee formed by the government has not been made public or discussed. According to the Council, such a top-down approach to reform could severely destabilise the country’s revenue administration.      

Professor Abu Ahmed, Chairman of the Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB), on Saturday  termed the ongoing protests against the proposed division of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) into separate entities for tax policy and tax management ‘unwarranted’. “While legitimate demands can be placed before the government, protests driven by corrupt motives are regrettable,” Prof Ahmed said. He made the remarks while speaking at a shadow parliament event organised by Debate for Democracy at the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (FDC), titled ‘Increased Confidence of Development Partners Due to IMF Loan Disbursement’. Reforming revenue management is a positive step for the economy, noting that many countries worldwide maintain similar revenue structures, he added. Referring to the country’s debt situation, he noted that the previous government left behind a debt burden of US $103 billion. “Currently, Bangladesh is repaying an average of $2 to $2.5 billion annually, and the repayment rate is expected to rise,” he added. Bangladesh need not to worry excessively about US tariff: Debapriya He expressed optimism that market-based dollar pricing, in line with IMF conditions, would help stabilise the local currency. However, he cautioned against the activities of mafia groups involved in dollar hoarding. “The era of a mafia economy in the country has hopefully ended,” Professor Ahmed remarked, lamenting the looting of several banks, including Islami Bank. He said foreign currency was siphoned off by “thieves and robbers,” causing immense pressure on Bangladesh Bank and the nation as a whole. He admitted that recovering the laundered money would be a difficult task. Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiran, Chairman of Debate for Democracy, said the IMF loan serves as a symbolic certificate that boosts the confidence of other development partners, thereby encouraging further budget support and loan disbursements. However, he stressed that simply following IMF prescriptions is not sufficient. “Transparency, accountability, good governance, democracy, and voting rights in the financial sector are essential to sustain the interest of development partners,” he said. Kiran also advised caution in accepting IMF recommendations that may harm the country’s public interest, particularly with regard to the withdrawal of subsidies on essential services. In the shadow parliament session, debaters from Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College defeated the team from Presidency University. The judging panel comprised Professor Abu Muhammad Rais, Dr SM Morshed, and journalists Iqbal Ahsan, Sushanta Sinha, and Arifuzzaman Mamun. At the end of the programme, trophies, crests, and certificates were awarded to the participating teams.

Officers and employees of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) continued their work abstention on Saturday. The protest programme called by NBR Reform Unity Council, a platform representing officials from the Customs, VAT, and Income Tax wings, will continue until 3pm today. They are opposing the government’s recent move to restructure the NBR by dividing it into two separate entities—Revenue Policy Division and Revenue Management Division—without incorporating the recommendations of the NBR Reform Committee, they claimed. Their demands include immediate withdrawal of the proposed Revenue Ordinance, public disclosure of the NBR Reform Advisory Committee’s report, and a comprehensive reform of the revenue system through consultation with stakeholders, including NBR officials, business associations, civil society representatives, and political leaders. Saturday’s demonstration falls on a special working day designated by the government to compensate for Eid holidays. As part of the symbolic protest, most NBR officials and staff refrained from work by laying down their pens. The NBR personnel have been staging protests for weeks, voicing concerns over provisions in the new law that allow administrative cadre officers to be appointed to key positions within the restructured framework. The new  law empowers the government to appoint any qualified civil servant as secretary or senior secretary of the newly created divisions. The law also places the Customs, Excise and VAT Appellate Tribunal and the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal under the jurisdiction of the Revenue Policy Division under the Finance Ministry. Furthermore, it permits appointments to both divisions from a pool of professionals with expertise in income tax, VAT, customs, economics, business administration, research and statistics, administration, audit and accounting, and legal affairs. NBR moves to ease container congestion at Ctg port According to the law, the separation of policy-making and revenue collection is aimed at increasing transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the revenue system. It also specifies that administrative roles within the Revenue Management Division will be filled by officers from the Bangladesh Civil Service (Administration) cadre and existing NBR personnel.    

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has issued a special order aimed at accelerating the clearance and unloading of goods at Chattogram port. Issued on May 14, the order seeks to reduce container congestion at the port, ensure safety, cut costs, prevent wastage of state resources, and enhance the overall operational capacity of Chittagong Port. According to the NBR, uncleared containers dating from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2023 have severely disrupted port operations. The presence of outdated chemicals and hazardous goods has also posed significant security risks, including the potential for explosions. NBR staff's pen-down strike marks second day Thursday The standard auction process has proven inadequate in addressing these challenges swiftly. Various issues—such as complications with clearing conditional or controlled goods, pending legal cases, non-clearance by auction winners, and logistical shortcomings—have further delayed the process. To address this, the special order outlines a set of streamlined procedures for the auction, disposal, and management of disposable goods (excluding vehicles) until December 31, 2023. Key provisions include: Disposable goods may be sold at the highest price offered in the first auction, without setting a reserve price, except in special cases. Goods deemed conditional, controlled, or prohibited under import/export policies—or goods that have deteriorated or cannot be auctioned—may be transferred without auction to specialized or technically capable organizations for destruction or neutralization. If no bids are received in two consecutive auctions, the goods may be sold at the highest bid received after wide publicity, foregoing a third auction. Expired hazardous or chemical products certified as usable by inspection authorities may be sold to qualified users or organizations at the highest offer. The NBR believes that implementing this order will ease the long-standing container backlog, streamline port operations, reduce costs for importers and exporters, and positively impact the national economy. The revenue board expects all port stakeholders to benefit from the new measures.

Officers and employees of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) continued their work abstention on Thursday, marking the second day of a three-day protest called by the NBR Reform Unity Council—a platform representing officials from the Customs, VAT, and Income Tax wings. The work abstention, which began at 10 am, is scheduled to continue until 3 pm Thursday. It will resume at the same time on Saturday. The protest stems from the government’s recent decision to restructure the NBR by splitting it into two divisions—Revenue Policy Division and Revenue Management Division—without, according to protesters, incorporating the recommendations of the NBR Reform Committee. On the second day, most officials and employees symbolically laid down their pens to demonstrate their participation in the protest. NBR personnel have been protesting for weeks, demanding the removal of provisions in the new law that allow administrative cadre officers to be appointed to key positions under the restructured framework. Youth forum demands minimum price of Tk 90 for a 10-Stick cigarette pack The controversial ordinance was reportedly published late Monday night. Under the new ordinance, the government may appoint any qualified government officer as secretary or senior secretary of the two newly formed divisions. The ordinance also places the Customs, Excise and VAT Appellate Tribunal and the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal under the jurisdiction of the Revenue Policy Division of the Finance Ministry. The interim government, led by Professor Muhammad Yunus, recently approved the change. It allows posts within the two divisions to be filled by professionals with expertise in income tax, VAT, customs, economics, business administration, research and statistics, administration, audit and accounting, and legal affairs. The new system argues that separating policy formulation from revenue collection management will enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency within the revenue system. It also states that administrative posts within the Revenue Management Division will be staffed by officers from the Bangladesh Civil Service (Administration) cadre and by existing employees of the Revenue Management Department. The NBR Reform Committee was formed on October 9 last year, comprising former NBR chairmen Muhammad Abdul Mazid and Nasiruddin Ahmed, along with former members Delwar Hossain and Aminur Rahman.

The NBR Reform Unity Council in a press release on Wednesday thanked all NBR employees and officials for their enthusiastic participation in the first day's event of the three- day pen down work abstention to protest split of the revenue authority. In the press release the platform said relevant stakeholders also expressed solidarity with the movement. The NBR Reform Unity Council, the press release said, has long been calling for a modern and sustainable reform of the national revenue system. Officials have expressed deep concern over the recently promulgated  revenue ordinance, which they claim was imposed without consulting the thousands of officers and employees in the customs and taxation services—despite being key stakeholders in the reform process. They also noted that the government-formed reform committee’s recommendations have not yet been made public or subjected to any meaningful discussion. The council fears that implementing the ordinance without transparency or stakeholder engagement will lead to chaos within the revenue administration. Bangladesh signs deal to receive $1.3 billion IMF loan: BB Governor In the press release, the NBR Reform Unity Council apologised to taxpayers and service seekers for any inconvenience caused. The council emphasised that this temporary sacrifice is aimed at safeguarding the national interest and ensuring sustainable reform in the revenue system. The protest action will continue on Thursday and Saturday from 10am to 3pm. However, international passenger services, export operations, and national budget preparation activities will remain outside the purview of the strike to avoid disruption to essential services like today. In a related development, the press release said, several key members of the BCS Customs and VAT Association—including the vice president, secretary general, treasurer, and joint secretary general—have resigned from the association’s executive committee in protest over institutional indifference to service-related issues and other concerns. Similarly, office bearers of the BCS (Taxation) Association have also started resigning from their respective posts in phases, it claimed. The growing unrest underscores the urgent need for the government to initiate an inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders to ensure meaningful and sustainable revenue reform.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has taken a move to introduce tax-related textbook materials in the educational system of the country aiming to educate the populace on the importance of the tax system from early life. Currently, according to the NBR officials, in Bangladesh there is no tax related education at any stage, which creates reluctance among the people. This initiative aims to instill a sense of fiscal responsibility among students from an early age, thereby promoting a culture of voluntary tax compliance in the long term. “We want to induct related materials in different levels of the education from primary to higher secondary level,” a senior official of the NBR told UNB, speaking anonymously due to the matter not being finalised yet. He said that they had already talked about this matter with various retired NBR officials who are known to write well, to design the curriculum. “But this is not at the final stage right now,” he added. He mentioned that to improve the tax culture in the country there is no alternative to tax education among the common people of the country. “They will not be compliant without tax education, this is the big matter,” he said. For this purpose, the NBR has initiated the move to induct tax education in the text books from the very beginning. At the initial stage, the students at the primary schools will know what is tax, how to pay this, what is the affect of non-paying taxes and what does the government do with taxes. “The little students will know these matters at the primary level, after that in the secondary level the simple tax related calculations will be taught while at the higher secondary level they will be given to fill up simple tax file,” the NBR official said. In this context, he said that recently the NBR has organised a countrywide essay competition aiming to create public awareness on tac related matters. “For preparing the essay the participants will search tax system of several countries, study those, know the tax culture of various countries,” he added. NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan in pre-budget meetings emphasised the importance of early education in fostering tax awareness. He proposed the development of engaging educational materials, including cartoons and simplified texts, tailored for pre-primary and primary school students. NBR moves to bring land, flat, building owners under tax net For higher education levels, such as high schools and colleges, tax-related content could be integrated into subjects like social science or introduced as standalone courses. Currently, Bangladesh’s revenue collection heavily relies on indirect taxes, such as customs duties and Value Added Tax (VAT), which constitute approximately 67% of total revenue. In contrast, direct taxes, primarily income tax, account for about 33%. The NBR aims to increase the contribution of direct taxes to 42% by 2031 and 50% by 2041 through taxpayer-friendly policies and expanded education initiatives.