Satff Correspondent

The government has formed a five-member adviser-level committee to suggest ways to resolve the stalemate centering the reforms in National Board of Revenue (NBR), Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed said on Sunday.

The finance adviser said this while briefing reporters after a meeting with top business leaders at the Finance Ministry conference room in the Bangladesh Secretariat.

Salehuddin, however, did not elaborate on who the members are or the terms of reference of the committee during the briefing.

He said the committee will hold discussions with relevant stakeholders and review proposals to reform the revenue board.

The meeting was held amid a work abstention by NBR officials pressing for various demands, which has severely disrupted export-import activities, according to business leaders.

Leaders present at the meeting urged the government to reach a quick resolution, warning of serious economic consequences if the deadlock persists.

NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan, International Chamber of Commerce Bangladesh (ICC-B) President Mahbubur Rahman, ICC-B Vice-President AK Azad, former BTMA president and ex-adviser Tapan Chowdhury, and Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association President Syed Nasim Manzur were among the business representatives in attendance.

Others included Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) President Kamran T Rahman and Vice-President Simeen Rahman, former FBCCI President Mir Nasir Hossain, Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) President Anwar-Ul-Alam Chowdhury (Parvez), BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu, BKMEA Executive President Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, and DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet Division confirmed that the committee will be led by Energy Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan.

Other members include Housing and Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, Labour and Employment Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) M Sakhawat Hussain, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, and Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin.

The committee has been tasked with finding a swift resolution to the NBR stalemate, the Cabinet Division said in a statement.