A group of junior officers from Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue (NBR) met with Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan on Monday morning to apologize for their role in recent protests that had called for his removal.
The meeting, according to officials familiar with the matter, took place in batches based on officer seniority. Most of those who attended were from income tax cadres between batch 29 and 40. They admitted wrongdoing and asked for forgiveness.
One senior NBR official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “Officials from the income tax cadre met the chairman in groups. They sought forgiveness for their involvement in the protest. We expect this will help restore discipline and a smooth working environment in the field offices.”
Another official, who was present during the meeting, estimated that around 60 officers joined the apology.
The NBR chairman told the group it was out of his hands. According to sources, he said that while he could personally forgive them, he had zero power to bend the rules on official government business.
We couldn’t get a comment from Khan—he didn’t pick up his phone. Other high-ranking officials also refused to talk, at least not with their names attached.
The apologies come amid mounting pressure on the revenue authority. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has launched investigations into 16 senior NBR officials over the past week, including commissioners and members. On 2 July, four senior officials were sent on forced retirement. One day later, the commissioner of Custom House, Chattogram was suspended for allegedly disrupting operations during the protest.
The unrest began after the government issued an ordinance on 12 May that dissolved both the NBR and the Internal Resources Division. These were replaced with the newly formed Revenue Policy Division and Revenue Management Division.
In response, the NBR Reform Unity Council — a coalition of dissenting officials — led a series of protest activities in June. These included hunger strikes, human chains, and work stoppages across tax, VAT, and customs offices nationwide. They demanded structural reforms and the removal of the chairman, citing administrative irregularities and resistance to reform.
Their call for a “complete shutdown” of revenue operations on 28 June marked a turning point. By 29 June, the interim government designated revenue and customs services as “essential” and warned of stern consequences for continued disruption. Hours later, the strike was called off.
Despite the protest’s end, investigations and disciplinary measures have continued.
One of the more prominent figures under scrutiny is Hasan Muhammad Tarek Rikabdar, president of the NBR Reform Unity Council, who has reportedly been named in the ACC probe.
Whether Monday’s apology signals a broader reconciliation within the institution remains to be seen. For now, some hope it’s a step toward mending internal fractures.
Others remain cautious, watching closely how the state handles the aftermath.
