Staff Reporter :
The government’s decision to abolish the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and replace it with two separate entities—Revenue Policy and Revenue Management—has sparked heated debate among policymakers, experts, and business leaders.
Critics say the “Revenue Policy and Revenue Management Ordinance 2025” fails to reflect the key recommendations made by the reform advisory committee and risks creating more problems than it solves.
These concerns were raised at a roundtable discussion on Saturday, jointly organised by the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) and Policy Exchange of Bangladesh (PEB) in Gulshan, Dhaka. Participants warned that the abrupt move, announced on May 12, could weaken coordination and deepen uncertainty in revenue administration.
Advisory committee member Farid Uddin was critical of the way reforms have been pursued. “The recommendations we provided have not been reflected in the ordinance. If the NBR is divided out of political bias or ill will, it will create a dangerous situation for the country,” he cautioned.
He told the business community that while the current NBR provides a centralised platform for coordination, dividing it would double the complexity.
“Please study the report and share your feedback so that the government can take the right path,” he urged.
Former NBR chairman and committee member Mohammad Abdul Majid stressed that structural reforms alone would not guarantee results.
“Proper implementation of reforms depends on political commitment. Without it, everything will remain on paper,” he said, adding that meaningful revenue reform must be linked with long-term policy goals, not short-term decisions.
Former MCCI president Nihad Kabir observed that “Even if the reform committee did good work, we are unsure what the actual outcome will be.
The sudden abolition of the NBR and shifting of officials under the Ministry of Finance has already created confusion in the business community.”
Mashrur Riaz, chairman of Policy Exchange Bangladesh, echoed this sentiment. “The government does not seem interested in implementing the committee’s recommendations. If separation is ineffective, the problems we see today will simply multiply across two institutions,” he warned.
The NBR was dissolved through a late-night ordinance on May 12. The next day, NBR employees launched a strike demanding that senior posts in the new departments be reserved for BCS (Tax) and BCS (Customs and Excise) cadres instead of administrative cadre secretaries. Facing pressure, the government promised amendments.
Subsequently, 11 revisions were proposed, including provisions to appoint experienced field officials to leadership positions. Yet, advisory committee members and business representatives remain dissatisfied, citing lack of transparency and fear of weakened coordination.
They cautioned that unless reforms are grounded in political will, professional expertise, and stakeholder consultation, the revenue management system could face deeper crises in the coming years.
