NN Online:
Top business leaders have sounded the alarm over a potential daily loss of Tk 3,000 crore as the complete shutdown of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) commenced on Saturday, severely disrupting trade and export operations.
At a press conference held at a city hotel, leaders of major export-oriented sectors urged the government to immediately resolve the NBR standoff, which stems from a ‘pen-down’ strike by NBR officials and employees that began on May 14, 2025.
Among the speakers were Mahbubur Rahman, President of ICC Bangladesh; Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury (Pervez), President of the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI); Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu, President of BGMEA; Shawkat Aziz Russell, President of BTMA; Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, Executive President of BKMEA; Syed Nasim Manzur, President of LFMEAB; and Taskin Ahmed, President of DCCI.
They emphasized that the demands of the NBR staff should be addressed through dialogue rather than allowing the situation to deteriorate further.
The business community strongly opposed the recent removal of the NBR Chairman and criticized the involvement of government officials in activities resembling labour or union movements. They warned that prolonged disruption of NBR services could deliver a heavy blow to the national economy, especially at a time when export sectors are already facing global headwinds.
