Bangladesh’s government considered introducing a bill in the next parliamentary session to split the National Board of Revenue into policy and management divisions, following a committee’s submission of restructuring recommendations.
Bangladesh’s government may introduce a bill in the next parliamentary session to split the National Board of Revenue (NBR) into two divisions, following the submission of recommendations by a nine-member committee headed by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s Adviser.
The proposed restructuring would establish a Revenue Policy Division and a Revenue Management Division to separate tax policy formulation from implementation. However, some committee members reportedly raised objections to parts of the recommendations.
The leadership arrangements remain undecided. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has reportedly favoured a council of experts to manage the Revenue Policy Division, while administration cadre officials are seeking to retain control. The Revenue Management Division could be headed by an income tax or customs cadre officer.
The interim government issued an ordinance on 12 May 2025 to separate the two functions, triggering protests from income tax and customs cadre officials over leadership arrangements. A revised gazette in September 2025 addressed some concerns, but further efforts to implement the restructuring stalled amid continuing disagreements and legal challenges.
