Staff Reporter :
A high-level virtual meeting of the National Board of Revenue’s (NBR) Income Tax Department was unexpectedly disrupted on Sunday after several participants joined using fictitious and humorous names, sparking internal concern and criticism over digital security and protocol breaches.
The Zoom meeting – convened to assess revenue performance and finalise strategies to meet the current fiscal year’s tax targets – was attended by over 400 officials nationwide. While senior officials, including Director Generals and Commissioners, joined in person at the NBR headquarters under the leadership of Chairman Abdur Rahman, others participated online using credentials circulated in a prior notice issued on 4 June.
However, to the surprise of many, several unfamiliar and clearly fabricated participant names appeared in the session. These included usernames such as “Donald Trump”, “Elon Musk”, “Mayer Doa Sanitary”, and “Tejgaon Dim Bazari Samiti”.
Others joined using vague or generic identifiers such as “iPhone”, “Samsung”, or simple numerical codes like “2025”. While some attendees used their official names or tax region/circle designations, the presence of joke accounts raised serious concerns.
The incident has prompted scrutiny of the NBR’s virtual meeting protocols, particularly regarding participant authentication. Normally, such sessions are restricted to pre-approved officials with verified identities. The appearance of unauthorised and mock accounts has cast doubt on the robustness of these measures.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, several NBR insiders suggested that some officials – possibly those involved in recent pre-Eid protests – might have altered their display names to avoid identification during the meeting. Others speculated that the use of fake profiles could have been an attempt to inflate attendance figures or to disrupt the proceedings deliberately.
The disruption diverted attention from the meeting’s key agenda – addressing the significant shortfall in income tax revenue collection. According to NBR data, the target for the first 11 months of the fiscal year (up to May) was Tk 1,39,805 crore. Actual collection stood at Tk 1,05,196 crore, leaving a deficit of Tk 34,609 crore.
The incident has raised questions about accountability and discipline within the NBR, particularly at a time when revenue performance is under heightened scrutiny. There is now growing pressure within the organisation to strengthen digital security protocols and enforce stricter identity verification processes for virtual meetings.
As internal investigations continue, the episode has exposed vulnerabilities in the NBR’s digital operations, calling into question the seriousness with which its virtual governance is managed – especially when critical national fiscal matters are at stake.
