Ordinance for NBR to be amended, says Fouzul

Energy Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan on Sunday alleged that "trickery tactics" were employed in drafting the Revenue Policy and Revenue Management Ordinance.

Those responsible for drafting the ordinance had resorted to manoeuvring in its formulation, he said at a press conference held at the Power Division's conference room at the Secretariat.

The adviser stated that the ordinance would be amended, adding that neither the Administration Cadre nor the Customs and Tax Cadres would be allowed to dominate the two proposed divisions -- the Revenue Policy Division and the Revenue Management Division.

A separate policy guideline will be recommended for appointing secretaries and senior officials in both divisions, with specific qualification criteria to be defined for such high-level appointments.

The ordinance in question was issued late at night on 12 May this year, abolishing the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and establishing the two new entities.

Mr Khan, who heads a government-formed committee tasked with strengthening revenue mobilisation, said the press conference was convened to brief the media on the committee's progress. He noted that recent unrest surrounding the ordinance stemmed from longstanding tensions between the administration cadre and other civil service cadres.

He slammed the sudden issuance of the ordinance, saying it contains several fundamental flaws. "For example, one clause says a 'qualified person' will be appointed as secretary of the Revenue Policy Division. But who is this 'qualified person'? Abul Barkat (former Janata Bank managing director)?" he remarked, adding that the committee had identified several such ambiguities and would submit its recommendations to the finance adviser.

The energy adviser further stated that the NBR, as it currently exists, would no longer remain. "When people hear the name 'NBR', they burst into laughter -- and we all know why. It would be better if the name no longer exists at all," he said. He reiterated that neither the Administration Cadre nor the Customs and Tax Cadres would be allowed to dominate the structure and operations of the new divisions.

Responding to a question from a journalist about how the ordinance had been passed by the Advisory Council, Mr Khan said: "We can't foresee the future. We have our limitations -- and that is why the government formed a five-member committee. Mistakes happen -- we made one, and we are now correcting it."

Asked whether the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had been used to suppress the NBR movement, he replied: "Not at all. The process had been initiated earlier and is still ongoing. Misconduct by certain NBR officials only accelerated it. If they are innocent, the ACC will exonerate them."

In response to another question about whether NBR officials are currently in fear, he said: "They have lost the government's trust -- and it is due to their own behaviour. To restore that trust, they must now expedite revenue collection."

When asked whether the government was offering reassurance to NBR officials, the adviser said: "They are not children. They were assured at the beginning of the movement. Yet, they continued protesting for two months. What is this -- Khatunganj wholesale market? Everyone abandoned their responsibilities and joined the protest. Businesses suffered massive losses. Who will compensate for that?"

"Their focus now should be on regaining the trust of the government. This is not a private enterprise. They disrupted revenue mobilisation and, in the name of protest, adopted an anti-government stance. The government has shown extraordinary patience." Mr Khan noted that the committee's report would soon be submitted to the finance adviser.

Although NBR officials have suspended their movement, the pace of revenue collection remains slow, he observed. "We will carry out field visits to assess the situation -- to examine what kind of services were offered before, what is being offered now, and how effectively revenue is being collected," he said.

Also present at the press conference were Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan and Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan.

Bangladesh's ongoing tariff negotiations with the United States form part of a wider strategic agenda tied to security and policy alignment, according to Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan.

"This negotiation is not only about tariffs," he said. "It's part of a broader framework linked to US strategic and security interests, which may involve country-specific policy adjustments based on how Bangladesh manages its bilateral ties."

He added that non-tariff barriers and regulatory issues were also on the table.

Although not directly involved in the negotiation process, the adviser highlighted three key components of the discussions: tariff issues, non-tariff barriers, and the strategic framework agreement that the US is keen to progress as part of its broader security goals.

"Our trade adviser has been working in Washington alongside government officials. Later, our security adviser and ICT special assistant joined the discussions," he said. "They have played a significant role in shaping the framework agreement."

Mr Khan's remarks came shortly after Bangladesh completed the second round of tariff negotiations with the US on July 11. The talks are aimed to reduce the 35 per cent tariff imposed by the Trump administration on certain Bangladeshi exports.

Exporters have voiced concerns over the current US tariff regime, especially since the United States is Bangladesh's single-largest export destination.

When asked by The Financial Express whether business stakeholders were being adequately consulted, Mr Khan rejected claims that they were being kept "in the dark".

"That's not accurate," he said. "In fact, we held a meeting with representatives from all major chambers on Thursday last."

According to Mr Khan, the meeting was attended by business leaders including Mahbubur Rahman, President of the International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh (ICCB); Tapan Chowdhury, Managing Director of Square Pharmaceuticals; A.K. Azad, CEO and Managing Director of Ha-Meem Group; Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury, President of the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI); Kamran T. Rahman, President of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dhaka (MCCI); Mahmud Hasan Khan, President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA); Simeen Rahman, CEO of Transcom Group; and Taskeen Ahmed, President of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI).

"Of course, the business community is concerned, and that's natural. But we want to reassure them through transparent communication," he said.

The energy adviser also noted that some proposals have already been submitted, and feedback is expected shortly. "Following this, the tariff offers will be formally exchanged."

He emphasised that Bangladeshi officials involved in the discussions were fully committed to concluding the negotiations by August 1 while safeguarding national interests.

In response to another question from The Financial Express regarding trade offers to the US, Mr Khan stated that concrete proposals were still being developed.

"So far, these matters have only been discussed in broad terms," he said. "We are already importing LNG and cotton (from the US) … we're already bringing in energy. So, naturally, those issues have come up. But we still need clarity on what the US wants and what we can offer in return."

He added that the commerce adviser, who is expected to return from the US soon, would provide more specific updates on the ongoing bilateral negotiations.

Adviser for Industries and Public Works Adilur Rahman Khan and Adviser for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Syeda Rizwana Hasan also attended the briefing.

In a statement issued earlier by the Chief Adviser's Office, it was acknowledged that while both sides reached consensus on some points, several issues remained unresolved. These be addressed in the next rounds of dialogue.

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