Officials of the National Board of Revenue have decided to end their countrywide shutdown.
The announcement came around 9:30pm on Sunday, ending a series of protest programs that had been underway over the past few days.
The decision was announced at a joint press conference by leaders of the NBR Reform Unity Council and representatives of the country’s top business leaders at the office of the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) in Tejgaon, Dhaka.
BCI President Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury Parvez spoke on behalf of the business community, while the NBR Reform Unity Council president, Additional Commissioner Hasan Mohammad Tarek Rikabder, represented the protesting officials.
A complete shutdown led by NBR officials and employees since Saturday had brought key revenue activities to a standstill, including import-export operations.
The movement, called by the NBR Reform Unity Council, halted customs and tax collection at NBR offices across the country—from the NBR headquarters in Dhaka to Chittagong port, the Dhaka Customs House, Benapole, Sonamasjid, Akhaura, Burimari, and all other land ports.
Meanwhile, NBR officials and staff have been holding protests for the past one and a half months, demanding logical reforms in the revenue board based on discussions with all stakeholders.