President revokes punishments of 21 NBR officials over 2025 protests
The officials had faced disciplinary action over revenue sector protests last year.
President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has revoked punishments imposed on 21 National Board of Revenue (NBR) officials for participating in protests against the interim government's ordinance to split the revenue agency.
As the officials sought pardon, the president accepted their appeals and ordered the cancellation of their penalties.
The Internal Resources Division (IRD) issued separate notifications today (6 September) waiving their punishments.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The officials had publicly torn up transfer orders issued to them during the protests, which authorities deemed a violation of the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules.
Some of the officials played organising roles in the movement, while others joined protests while keeping their offices closed.
The behaviour of NBR officials violated Rule 30A of the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1979. It constituted "misconduct" under Rule (b) of the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2018, according to the notifications.
Following departmental investigations in which the allegations were found proven, the officials faced different penalties, including temporary suspension and reduction in pay grade.
The IRD said the officials later filed appeals seeking mercy.
The officials whose punishments were revoked are Commissioner (Current Charge) Md Zakir Hossain; joint commissioners of taxes Morshed Uddin Khan, Masuma Khatun, Md Mamun Mia, Monalisa Shahrin Susmita and Md Sanwarul Kabir; deputy commissioners of taxes Imam Tauhid Hasan Shakil, Md Zillur Rahman, Mohammad Saidul Islam and Mohammad Shihabul Islam; additional commissioners of taxes Murad Ahmed, Mirza Ashik Rana, Hasan Muhammad Tarek Rikabdar, Sifat-e-Moriun, Sultana Habib, Chand Sultana Chowdhurani, AAM Amimul Ehsan Khan and Sadhan Kumar Kundu; Second Secretary (Deputy Commissioner) Md Shahadat Jamil; and revenue officers Sabuj Mia and Shafiul Bashar.
The officials' movement followed the issuance of the Revenue Policy and Revenue Management Ordinance, 2025 on 12 May 2025. NBR officers and employees staged protests for nearly one and a half months against the ordinance.
Towards the end of June, work came to a halt at customs and tax offices across the country, severely disrupting revenue collection. Such a shutdown was unprecedented in the NBR's history.
