At least 14 officials of National Board of Revenue (NBR) have been suspended for "defying directives from higher authorities and disobeying transfer orders."
They were suspended in separate orders signed by Abdur Rahman Khan, NBR chairman and secretary of the Internal Resources Division (IRD) under the Ministry of Finance.
The suspension orders state, "Due to defiant behaviour such as openly tearing up transfer orders in an act of blatant disregard, and for supporting those who disobeyed such orders, it has been decided to initiate departmental proceedings against them.
"Therefore, as per the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, they have been suspended."
The suspended officials are: Masuma Khatun, divisional representative (Joint Tax Commissioner), Tax Zone-2, Dhaka; Murad Ahmed, joint tax commissioner, Tax Zone-15, Dhaka; Mohammad Morshed Uddin Khan, joint tax commissioner, Tax Zone-Kushtia; Monalisa Shahreen Sushmita, joint tax commissioner, Tax Zone-Noakhali; Ashraful Alam Pradhan, joint tax commissioner, Tax Zone-Cox's Bazar; Shihabul Islam, deputy tax commissioner, Tax Zone-Khulna; Nusrat Jahan Shomy, deputy tax commissioner, Tax Zone-Rangpur; Towhid Hasan Shakil, deputy tax commissioner, Tax Zone-Cumilla; Hasan Mohammad Tarek Rikabder, additional commissioner, and president of NBR Reform Unity Council; Mirza Ashiq Rana, additional commissioner of tax; Mohammad Shahadat Jamil, deputy commissioner; Sifat-E-Mariyam, deputy commissioner; Shafiul Bashar, revenue officer and Sabuj Mia, revenue officer.
Finance Ministry and NBR sources indicate that at least 10 more officers could soon be added to the list.
NBR insiders described the fresh suspension of 14 officers in a single day as a major shock for the Revenue Department.
Md Lutfor Rahman, a former NBR member with over three decades of service, told The Business Standard, "In my long career, I've never witnessed such a large number of officers being suspended simultaneously — nor have I heard of such a precedent."
According to NBR officials, departmental investigations will now be carried out against the suspended officers. If found guilty, they could lose their jobs. Although they will have opportunities to appeal at various stages. If the allegations are proven false, reinstatement is possible, but the process is lengthy and complex.
An NBR officer involved in the recent protests, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed, "The accusation of tearing up the transfer order has been distorted. No official order was torn — it was a symbolic act involving blank paper. Moreover, the officers complied with their transfer orders and joined their new posts."
Conversations with multiple officials reveal growing anxiety and unease among NBR staff across all levels.
Earlier, five top officials, including four NBR members, were sent to forced retirement. Additionally, the Commissioner of Chattogram Customs House was also suspended.
