Energy Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan made the remarks at a press conference organized by the advisory committee at the Secretariat today. Photo: PID

DHAKA, July 13, 2025 (BSS) - Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan today said the advisory committee on trade and commerce, industry, ports and revenue collection will recommend an amendment to the ordinance issued to split the National Board of Revenue (NBR) into two separate entities.

The advisor said that income tax and customs-VAT officials have agreed to the division. He added, "Some clever tactics were used in the formulation of this ordinance."

He made the remarks at a press conference organized by the advisory committee at the Secretariat this morning.

Fouzul Kabir Khan is the head of the advisory committee, which was formed on June 29 and comprises five advisers. 

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwan Hasan and Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan were present at the press conference.

The energy adviser said it will be recommended to formulate a policy for the appointment of secretaries and senior officials to the two divisions created by dividing the NBR, and to determine the qualified officials to be appointed to these two divisions. 

However, he said, the demand of the NBR officials to appoint only officials from their two cadres (customs and income tax) will not be kept; and again, it will be ensured that the administration cadres do not have any dominance here.

Fouzul Kabir Khan said the committee held five meetings with the Association of Income Tax and Customs-VAT Officers, the NBR, the National Board of Revenue Reform Commission and business representatives. 

Now the committee will inspect the income tax and customs-VAT activities at the field level, he said, adding that the committee would see what kind of revenue was collected in the months before the NBR officials' movement and what kind of revenue is being collected now.

He further said during the discussions with the committee, the income tax and customs-VAT officials agreed to divide the NBR into two entities but they demanded that only their cadres should be appointed in these two divisions. 

"And the businessmen have told the committee that they have faced huge losses economically and commercially due to this movement of the NBR officials. They have said that they are still being harassed by the customs-VAT officials of the NBR. Above all, the businessmen have fully supported the government's reform programme," he said.

The energy adviser said the committee's analysis revealed that the movement that took place in the NBR originated from the conflict between the BCS administration cadre and other cadres.
 
"Later, we thought that this was already there, so why did it happen after the ordinance announced to divide the NBR into two entities?" he questioned.

"Then we saw that there are some basic flaws in this ordinance. It has been cleverly drafted. For example, who will be the secretary, in which case it is said - a person with proper qualification can be made the secretary. Again, Section 7(3) of the ordinance says that he or she must be experience in revenue collection. But it does not say what kind of revenue. Is it land revenue? Passport revenue? We will advise to remove these ambiguities," Fauzul Kabir said.

He said the committee will suggest correcting the flaws in the ordinance, but there will be no NBR. "It is better not to have NBR."

The committee believes that forming a new department with officials from the two cadres of income tax and customs-VAT will not be acceptable and on the other hand, dominance of the administration cadres will not be acceptable too, the adviser said. 

He said the committee will soon recommend a policy on who will be the secretaries and senior officials of these two divisions and appointments will be made following the policy.

"We are still getting reports that NBR officials are moving forward in a 'go slow' manner. We will go to the field to see that. The NBR officials' agitation has damaged the economy and disrupted revenue collection," Fauzul Kabir said.

Citing a report of a national daily, he said the agitators created a WhatsApp group and an anti-government stance was taken in the name of movement. 

He said the Finance Division will make a recommendation to look into this report.

Fawzul Kabir said, "The NBR officials are not in the government's trust because they have done unimaginable things. They closed institutions like Chittagong Port. This has caused huge losses to trade and commerce, and revenue collection has been disrupted. Now they have to earn the government's trust by increasing revenue collection, reducing container congestion, etc," he said.

The energy adviser said the businessmen asked why the necessary action was not being taken against them or why the government has been so late in taking action. "The government wants to move forward in a democratic manner. That is why the government has shown immense patience."

Replying to a question on a World Bank report, which states that Bangladesh may face a recession due to internal political instability in Bangladesh and the global situation, the energy advisor said, "Such report is actually based on some old information. Bangladesh has passed that time."