It was a typical Wednesday morning at the National Board of Revenue (NBR), where the employees were seen starting their day by maintaining pen-down protest. The first day of the protest saw NBR officials and staff entering the office in the morning, only to divert their attention to essential tasks related to the protest schedule. The pen-down protest kicked off, with various tax zones and customs houses in the capital city and beyond participating in the announced program.
The employees expressed their solidarity with the government’s reform agenda but raised concerns about the implementation of the reforms. They emphasized the importance of genuine reforms rather than a mere reshuffling of revenue management under the guise of reform. They made it clear that they do not want the government’s Ministry of Finance to be divided into two fragmented parts after dismantling the revenue board.
Additional Commissioner (Customs & VAT) Sadhan Kumar Kundu stated that they have high expectations for NBR’s reform but are not satisfied with the process undertaken by the government. They stressed the need for a thorough discussion based on the report submitted by the Taxation Reforms Commission before making any final decisions. However, the report has not been made public, causing frustration among economists, research institutions, and think tanks who could have contributed to the discussion.
The employees from various tax zones and customs houses of the National Board of Revenue issued a three-day work schedule on Tuesday under the banner of ‘NBR Reform Unity Council’ to demand the repeal of the ordinance dividing NBR into two parts. According to the schedule, all levels of employees will observe pen-down protest from 10 am to 1 pm on Wednesday, from 10 am to 3 pm on Thursday, and from 10 am to 3 pm on Saturday. Only international passenger services, import-export activities, and budget-related tasks will continue to function during the protest, while all other activities will remain suspended.
In conclusion, the employees made it clear that they are committed to advocating for genuine reforms within the revenue board and oppose any superficial changes that do not address the core issues. They emphasized the importance of transparency and open dialogue in the decision-making process to ensure that the reforms are in the best interest of the country’s economy. The pen-down protest will continue as scheduled, reflecting the employees’ determination to fight for meaningful reforms in the revenue management system.