Customs and tax officials and employees across the country have announced a full-day, indefinite work abstention at all offices from Monday, with stakeholders fearing this will virtually paralyze all import and export activities in the country.
The strike will be observed daily from 9am to 5pm, excluding international passenger services and the import of medicines and life-saving equipment, leaders of the NBR Reform Unity Council announced on Sunday afternoon, where deputy commissioners Abdul Kaiyum and Raisun Nesa addressed the media.
Meanwhile, in protest against an ordinance to dissolve the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the strike continued throughout the day at the NBR headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka.
Most customs and tax officials and employees were stationed near the main gate on the ground floor of the NBR building.
The two main entrances to the NBR head office remained closed from the morning, effectively halting the organization’s operations for the day.
The strike also extended to various customs stations across the country, including Chittagong port, Benapole, and Bhomra land ports.
The movement has been ongoing for several days under the banner of the NBR Reform Unity Council.
On May 12, the government issued the ordinance to dissolve the NBR and the Internal Resources Division, replacing them with two new entities: the Revenue Policy Division and the Revenue Administration Division.
Since then, NBR officials and employees have been protesting the decision.
The NBR Reform Unity Council has outlined four main demands:
- Immediate withdrawal of the issued ordinance.
- Immediate removal of the NBR chairman.
- Public disclosure of the Revenue Reform Advisory Committee’s recommendations on the NBR website.
- Implementation of sustainable revenue system reforms through a comprehensive review of the proposed NBR draft and the committee’s recommendations, incorporating input from all stakeholders, including business organizations, civil society, and political leadership.
