Pen-down strike hits NBR again

Staff Reporter :

Officials and employees of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) resumed their pen-down strike and sit-in at the NBR headquarters in Dhaka on Monday morning, demanding what they term as “logical reforms” within the revenue authority.

The demonstration, led by the NBR Reform Unity Council, began at 9:00 AM and continued for three hours. Protesters wore symbolic burial shrouds to express their dissatisfaction with recent structural changes and leadership at the NBR.

This fresh protest followed a press conference on Saturday, where Council President Hasan Muhammad Tarek Rikabdar and General Secretary Sehela Siddiqua reiterated calls for meaningful reforms and the removal of the current NBR Chairman.

In a symbolic escalation, the council declared the NBR Chairman “persona non grata” within the agency premises, accusing him of obstructing reform and failing to represent officials’ interests.
The protest also criticized the recently formed six-member NBR Reform Committee, set up on June 19 to revise revenue ordinances. Protesters claim the committee lacks representation from their platform and was formed without consultation.

The demonstrations stem from a government decision on May 12 to dissolve the NBR and Internal Resources Division (IRD), replacing them with the Revenue Policy Division and the Revenue Management Division-sparking weeks of protest.

Though the government has committed to making necessary ordinance amendments by July 31 after consultations, many NBR officials remain unsatisfied with the process.

A new reform committee was formed Monday morning as part of the government’s consultation effort, but officials say the core issues remain unaddressed.

Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has banned all gatherings, demonstrations, and rallies in the Agargaon area-from Shishu Mela to the NBR office-effective Sunday and continuing until further notice.