Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Tuesday said the interim government will complete the splitting process of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) before the February 12 general election. The long-discussed process of separating policy formulation from tax administration at the NBR has missed the December 31 deadline. The controversy began in May 2025, when the interim government promulgated the Revenue Policy and Revenue Management Ordinance, 2025, abolishing the long-standing National Board of Revenue — established in 1972 — and replacing it with two separate entities: the Revenue Policy Division (RPD) and Revenue Management Division (RMD) under the Finance Ministry. The split, however, triggered intense resistance from NBR officials and employees, who argued that the ordinance was issued without adequate consultation and bypassed recommendations of the NBR Reform Committee. Demonstrations disrupted tax, customs and VAT operations briefly, including a partial halt at Chattogram Port — Bangladesh’s busiest trade gateway.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 06, 2026 14:46 UTC