NBR offices shut down as officers march on headquarters over chairman’s removal

Tax, VAT, and customs offices across Bangladesh have shut down completely as officers staged a “March to NBR”, demanding the removal of National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan.

Led by the NBR Reform Unity Council, the protest began at 8am with revenue staff from across the country halting services and marching towards the NBR headquarters on Saturday.

Officers who arrived before 9am were allowed to enter before the main gate was locked, barring further access, even for staff showing ID.

Members of different law-enforcing agencies stationed inside blocked entry, prompting protesters to occupy the footpath and part of the main road outside the building.

As of Saturday afternoon, hundreds of protesters remained outside the NBR headquarters while services across all revenue offices remained suspended.

A similar standoff occurred on Thursday, when locked-out protesters padlocked the main entrance from the outside.

Despite an appeal on Friday from the finance ministry to withdraw the protest, promising to reconsider recent transfer orders and revise the contentious ordinance, protesters remained defiant.

The NBR also warned of disciplinary action against those absent without permission.

Rejecting both statements, the NBR Reform Unity Council reiterated plans to maintain the march and declared an indefinite “complete shutdown” of tax, VAT, and customs offices nationwide. Only international passenger services would be exempt.

The protests began last month after the government issued an ordinance splitting the NBR into two new divisions, Revenue Management and Revenue Policy. Protesters say the change undermines institutional structure and was done without consultation.

While the government later agreed to consult NBR employees before implementing the reform, officers returned to work with one core demand intact: the chairman must go.

Protesters have declared Chairman Abdur Rahman “unwelcome” at the NBR. He eventually returned to his office under tight Army and police protection.

Tensions deepened further when several officers involved in the movement were “stand released”, and space for official seminars was reportedly denied.