NBR suspends nine more officials

Nine more officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) have been suspended for their alleged involvement in organising protests against the government's ordinance that dissolved the NBR and split it into two divisions.

Yesterday, the finance ministry's Internal Resources Division (IRD) issued notifications announcing the suspensions.

Of them, five are from the income tax cadre, including the general secretary of the NBR Reform Unity Council, which comprises both tax and customs cadres, while the remaining four are from the customs cadre.

The tax officers are Additional Commissioners Sehela Siddiqua and Sultana Habib, Joint Commissioner Mesbah Uddin Khan, Mohammad Mamun Mia, and Central Intelligence Cell Director Chand Sultana Chowdhurani.

The suspended customs officials are Additional Commissioners Sadhan Kumar Kundu and AAM Amimul Ehsan Khan, Joint Commissioner Sanowarul Kabir, and Deputy Commissioner Saidul Islam.

According to the IRD notifications, the suspended officials allegedly disrupted official work, abandoned duties, and played a central role in organising the movement, which hampered the country's import and export activities.

Disciplinary proceedings have now been initiated against them. The officials have been temporarily suspended and attached to the NBR as officers on special duty.

This is the latest in a series of punitive actions taken against NBR officials since the end of the protest.

The interim government, on May 12, issued an ordinance splitting the NBR into two divisions: Revenue Policy and Revenue Management.

In protest, NBR officials from all sections formed the NBR Reform Unity Council, demanding the cancellation of the ordinance.

On July 15, another 14 officials were suspended for publicly tearing up and disobeying a government transfer order.