Govt Orders Striking Tax Officials to Resume Work

The Bangladesh government on Sunday ordered striking tax and customs officials to immediately return to work, ending a two-day nationwide strike that has severely disrupted operations—including at Chittagong Port, the country’s key trade hub.

In an official statement, the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus warned:

“Officials and employees must return to work at once and refrain from activities that harm national interests. Otherwise, the government will be compelled to take strict measures to protect the people and the national economy.”

The statement did not specify what those measures might include.

Yunus’ administration emphasized that import-export activities must continue without interruption to safeguard the economy, and declared all positions under the National Board of Revenue (NBR) as essential services.

The strike began after the government issued an order on May 12 to dissolve the NBR and replace it with newly formed revenue divisions. Officials say this restructuring is aimed at modernizing the tax system, streamlining operations, reducing bureaucratic overlap, and increasing efficiency.

However, many tax officials fear the restructuring could lead to job insecurity, reduced institutional independence, and potentially a loss of career prospects. They have demanded reforms to the new system and the resignation of the current NBR chairman. The strike escalated into a full nationwide shutdown on Saturday as part of their protest.

Business leaders have expressed growing concern, warning that if the deadlock continues, it could disrupt supply chains, hamper revenue collection, and further damage investor confidence, which is already shaken by ongoing macroeconomic instability.

The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus came to power after student-led protests earlier this year forced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to India. However, Yunus' administration has also been facing increasing dissatisfaction in recent weeks.