The interim government has set Tuesday for holding talks with protesting NBR (Nationat Board of Revenue) officials to resolve disagreements over recent reform measures approved for the tax regulatory authority.
The Ministry of Finance announced the date in a press statement on Friday.
In the press statement, the ministry disclosed two other decisions taken at a Thursday meeting: 1) urging protesters to withdraw their demonstrations planned for Saturday, and 2) reconsidering two recent transfer orders targeting NBR officials.
The protesters have announced a march towards the NBR headquarters in the capital from all tax-customs offices located across the country on Saturday. They have also called for a "complete shutdown" of activities. As of now, the officials have observed a work boycott movement, but kept services related to international travel and exports out of the purview.
At Thursday’s meeting, Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed, Finance Ministry Secretary Dr Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder, Financial Institutions Division Secretary Nazma Mobarek, NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan and sixteen members of NBR, were present.
They decided that in the upcoming meeting next Tuesday, the "Advisory Committee on Board of Revenue Reform" would hold talks with NBR Unity Council, the organisation leading the protests, and NBR members to resolve the crisis.
The finance ministry officials hope they can resolve the differences and amend the recent ordinance on splitting NBR by 31 July with inputs from all the concerned parties, said the ministry press statement on Friday.
On 12 May, the government split the NBR into two separate entities to curb corruption and boost efficiency, in line with an IMF bailout condition.
Since then, a section of NBR officials have been protesting the move through work boycotts.
Later, they also demanded the unconditional removal of NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman for him being what they claimed “a key ally of ousted Awami League fascists.” They also alleged that the NBR chief has been misleading the government over their demands and attempting to sabotage the movement.
On Thursday, NBR Unity Council President Hasan Muhammad Tarek rejected any prospects of discussing reforms in the tax authority while Abdur Rahman stays in his office.
NBR’s protesting officials and staff members have said they are not against splitting the regulatory authority, but they are demanding to see BCS tax and customs officials get priority at top posts in the two proposed entities.
The government has left the room open for BCS administrative cadres to assume top posts.
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
