The government has revoked the disciplinary penalties imposed on 21 National Board of Revenue (NBR) officials over their involvement in protests against revenue-sector reforms in 2025.

The Internal Resources Division (IRD) on Sunday issued separate gazette notifications, dated September 2, stating that President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had accepted the officials’ appeals for clemency and ordered the cancellation of their penalties.

The officials faced departmental action over their conduct during protests in June 2025, when NBR officials and employees demonstrated against the Revenue Policy and Revenue Management Ordinance, 2025.

The protests began after the interim government issued the Revenue Policy and Revenue Management Ordinance, 2025. The movement continued for around one and a half months and eventually disrupted operations at customs and tax offices across the country in late June.

The disruption came at the end of the fiscal year, a critical period for revenue collection. The NBR officials later suspended their movement following mediation by business leaders.

During the protests, some officials publicly tore up transfer orders, while others allegedly played organising roles. Some also participated in the movement by keeping their respective offices closed.

The authorities treated the conduct as misconduct under the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1979, and the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2018.

Md Al-Amin Shaikh, public relations officer of the NBR, said the officials had been temporarily suspended during the inquiries but were later posted after the disciplinary proceedings were completed.

“After the punishment was finalised, they were given postings and continued working in their respective positions. The punishment involved a reduction in salary,” he told Waadaa.

The officials include one commissioner, eight additional commissioners, five joint commissioners, four deputy commissioners/deputy tax commissioners, one second secretary (deputy commissioner), and two revenue officers.

The 21 officials whose penalties have been remitted are Md Zakir Hossain, Hasan Muhammad Tarek Rikabdan, Mirza Ashiq Rana, Chand Sultana Chowdhurani, Sultana Habib, Murad Ahmed, Sifat-e-Mariam, A.A.M. Amimul Ehsan Khan, Sadhan Kumar Kundu, Monalisa Shahreen Susmita, Md Mamun Mia, Masuma Khatun, Mohammad Morshed Uddin Khan, Md Sanowarul Kabir, Md Zillur Rahman, Imam Touhid Hasan Shakil, Mohammad Saidul Islam, Mohammad Shihabul Islam, Md Shahadat Jamil, Sabuj Mia, and Shafiul Bashar.