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Published : 23 Jun 2025, 02:09 PM
Five officers of the Income Tax Division were “immediately transferred” on Sunday amid the movement demanding the removal of the NBR chairman.
Two of them are from the Income Tax Intelligence and Investigation Unit, one from the NBR Board Office and the remaining two from the Dhaka and Cumilla tax regions.
An order from the tax administration said that Deputy Tax Commissioner Shah Mohammad Fazle Elahi has been transferred from the Income Tax Intelligence Unit to the Mymensingh tax region.
Deputy Tax Commissioner Mohammad Shihabul Islam has been transferred from Dhaka's Tax Region-16 to the Khulna tax region and Deputy Tax Commissioner Md Abdullah Yusuf has been transferred from the board to the Bogura tax region.
In addition, Deputy Tax Commissioner Imam Touhid Hasan Shakeel has been sent from the Income Tax Intelligence Unit to the Cumilla tax region and Deputy Tax Commissioner Nusrat Jahan Shomi has been sent from the Cumilla tax region to the Rangpur tax region.
The order states that they will have to join their new workplace on or before Tuesday and transfer their responsibilities to their current workplace on Monday.
Calling the order “vindictive and oppressive”, the Unity Council said at the press conference: "If all transfer orders are not cancelled by today (Monday), then, from Tuesday, aside for international passenger services and exports, all Dhaka offices of the Tax, Customs and VAT Departments will hold sit-in programmes and pen-down strikes at the Rajashwa Bhaban from 9am to 2pm and there will be sit-in programmes, pen-down stoppages, and contempt towards the 'chairman and his cronies' at other offices outside Dhaka."
In addition, if any such new transfer order is issued, the pen-down protests, sit in programmes, and “contempt for the chairman and his associates” will continue in all offices of the tax, customs and VAT departments, except international passenger services and exports, from noon to 5pm on Wednesday and Thursday.
If these transfer orders are not cancelled by Jun 27 and the chairman is not removed by then, a 'continuous complete shutdown' will continue in all offices of customs, VAT and income tax from Saturday, Jun 28, the protesters warned.
In a written statement, the officials said: "He recently transferred the senior commissioner of the tax department in a vindictive and oppressive manner, disregarding the transfer policy. Again, he gave the duty of tax commissioner to a questionable officer in a sensitive department for government officials.
"The chairman has tried to create a provocative situation in our peaceful programme by gathering people from outside through a syndicate of his friends, of which we have evidence. In addition, he is threatening to intimidate, punish and transfer the officers involved in these reasonable protests.
It said, “Due to these vindictive activities, the normal working environment is being disrupted, which may also affect revenue collection."
In May, after the interim government moved to split the NBR into two separate divisions — Revenue Policy and Revenue Management — by ordinance, employees launched a series of protests, including pen-downs, demanding the move be scrapped.
The caretaker administration later backed off, saying any implementation would involve discussions with NBR staff.
Although employees returned to work, protesters have maintained their call for the resignation of the NBR chief and declared him “unwelcome” at the office.
Later, the chairman returned under tight security provided by the army and law-enforcing agencies.
While he has resumed his duties, tensions with staff remain.
Against this backdrop, the council alleged that their programmes are being sidelined, citing repeated denials of basic logistical support, including space for meetings.
They have also stated that officials involved in the protests are being transferred one after another in violation of the transfer policy.
