Kathmandu. The ongoing agitation demanding the resignation of the Chairman of the National Revenue Board (NBR) in Bangladesh has been called off since Sunday night. Following the initiative of the private sector, the agitating employees of the board announced the suspension of the strike at around 9.30 pm.
After a day-long discussion and agreement between the NBR Reform Unity Council and business leaders on Sunday, the leaders of the NBR Reform Unity Council announced the withdrawal of the agitation through a press conference at the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) office in Tejgaon, Dhaka.
Addressing a joint press conference, BCI president Anwar ul Alam Parvez said efforts were made to address the genuine demands of the NBR protesters through a meeting with all stakeholders throughout the day on Sunday. He said at a press conference that such a disaster occurred due to unclear understanding.
A five-member advisory committee has been formed to improve the revenue system at the initiative of the Unity Council. Initiatives and activities to reform the revenue system will continue even if the protest is called off, the council announced.
Due to the strike call of the Council, not only revenue collection but also import and export came to a standstill. All customs points and tax collection activities in the country, including Chittagong Lionargah, Dhaka Sar Ghar, Benapole, Sonamszid, Akhaura, Bumari, were stalled due to the strike programme called by the National Revenue Board Reform Integration Council.
On May 12, after the government announced the scrapping of the National Revenue Board through an ordinance and the formation of two different departments, the employees had put forward the condition of repealing the ordinance and resigning the chairman of the board.
