Writ filed against ordinance dissolving NBR

A writ was filed on Sunday at the High Court, challenging the ordinance, through which the government abolished the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and created two separate entities - the Revenue Policy Division and the Revenue Management Division.

Supreme Court lawyer Md Jewel Azad filed the plea, making the secretaries of the Law and Justice Division and Ministry of Finance respondents in the petition.

The petitioner pleaded for issuing a rule, asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why it shall not declare the ordinance contrary and beyond legal jurisdiction in line with Articles 26, 31, 29 (1) of the constitution. He also pleaded to stay the effectiveness of the ordinance.

Confirming the matter to newsmen, the petitioner said the plea is likely to be heard within this week at the bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi.

The government on May 12 issued the ordinance, dissolving National Board of Revenue (NBR) and replacing it with two new divisions under the ministry of finance in a bid to modernise tax administration and boost revenue collection.