9 more NBR officials suspended over activities during recent protests
Nine more officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) have been suspended for allegedly obstructing official duties during the recent protest by revenue employees.
The Internal Resources Division (IRD) issued separate suspension orders on Monday, with immediate effect.
The suspended officials are: Sehela Siddika, Additional Tax Commissioner, Income Tax Intelligence and Investigation Unit, Dhaka; Sultana Habib, Additional Tax Commissioner (Current Duty), Tax Zone-7, Dhaka; Md. Mesbah Uddin Khan, Joint Tax Commissioner, Tax Zone, Faridpur; Md. Mamun Mia (200449), Joint Tax Commissioner, Tax Zone, Dinajpur; and Chand Sultana Chowdhurani, Director (Current Duty), Central Intelligence Cell, NBR, Dhaka.
The others are: Md. Sanwarul Kabir, Joint Commissioner, Customs, Excise and VAT Training Academy, Chattogram; Mohammad Saidul Islam, Deputy Commissioner; Sadhan Kumar Kundu, Additional Commissioner, Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate, Sylhet; and Abul A’la Mohammad Amimul Ihsan Khan, Additional Commissioner, Customs House, Mongla.
With the latest action, a total of 36 officials and employees—ranging from NBR members to guards—have been suspended over the past one and a half months in connection with the protest.
The suspension orders, signed by IRD Secretary and NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman, stated that the officials played a key role in preventing their colleagues from carrying out official duties after the government issued the Revenue Policy and Revenue Management Ordinance, 2025 on May 12. Their activities also disrupted import-export operations by forcing employees to join demonstrations at the NBR headquarters.
The letters said departmental action has been initiated against them under Section 39 (1) of the Government Services Act, 2018. During the suspension period, they will receive subsistence allowances as per government rules.
According to NBR sources, those suspended were directly involved in the movement under the banner of the NBR Reform Unity Council. Officials and employees had staged demonstrations in May and June, demanding reforms in the revenue sector. They enforced a nationwide work stoppage on June 28 and 29 before withdrawing the strike following mediation by business leaders.
Subsequently, punitive measures were taken against protest leaders. So far, three NBR members and one commissioner have been sent into compulsory retirement, while the then Commissioner of Chattogram Custom House was suspended. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has also launched investigations against 16 officials, including two NBR members.
The May 12 ordinance dissolved the NBR and divided it into two new entities—Revenue Policy and Revenue Management. Protesting employees demanded reforms reflecting the views of all stakeholders, continuing demonstrations for over a month before calling them off.