The government has suspended eight officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) for tearing up transfer orders in public during their recent protests demanding the removal of NBR Chairman Md Abu Rahman Khan.
The action was confirmed in a notification signed by NBR Chairman Md Abu Rahman Khan, also secretary of the Internal Resources Division, on Tuesday.
The suspended officials are Masuma Khatun, joint tax commissioner, Dhaka Tax Zone-2; Murad Ahmed, joint tax commissioner, Dhaka Tax Zone-15; Md Morshed Uddin Khan, joint tax commissioner, Kushtia Tax Zone; Monalisa Shahrin Sushmita, joint tax commissioner, Noakhali Tax Zone; Md Ashraful Alam Pradhan, joint tax commissioner, Cox’s Bazar Tax Zone; Md Shihabul Islam, deputy tax commissioner, Khulna Tax Zone; Mosammat Nusrat Jahan Shumi, deputy tax commissioner, Rangpur Tax Zone; and Imam Touhid Hasan Shakil, deputy tax commissioner, Comilla Tax Zone.
Additionally, on July 10, the government suspended Tanzina Rais, first secretary of the NBR, for travelling abroad without notifying the authorities.
According to the latest notification, the suspended officials defied a transfer order issued on June 22 and publicly tore up the order as part of a protest on June 24 during a "complete shutdown" demonstration at the NBR headquarters.
Consequently, the government has decided to initiate departmental proceedings against them under the relevant law, it added.
They have been suspended as officers on special duty and will receive subsistence allowances during the suspension period, as per regulations.
What instigated the shutdown
On June 22, the NBR issued transfer orders for five officials from the income tax division.
Protesters claimed the orders were retaliatory and aimed at suppressing their movement.
In response, on June 24, officials joined a shutdown at the NBR building and publicly tore up the orders.
Although the movement was temporarily suspended on June 29, the government took a hardline stance.
Four senior NBR officials involved in the protests were sent into forced retirement.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has also launched investigations into at least 11 NBR officials.