The government plans to complete the split of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) into two divisions by December, Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed said.

“We will implement the revised law by this time. We have to change the rules of business for implementation. We have already prepared a draft,” Ahmed told the press.

The move follows an amended ordinance on revenue policy and management, issued on 2 September, which allows the government to decide the date of enforcement. The reform—part of conditions attached to a $5.5 billion IMF loan approved in January 2023—requires dissolving both the Internal Resources Division and the NBR.

Under the new framework, two entities will be created within the finance ministry: a Revenue Policy Division and a Revenue Management Division. The first will be responsible for tax policy, research, and international agreements, while the second will oversee field-level revenue collection, implementation, and human resource management.

The law sparked protests among tax officials earlier this year, particularly over the leadership structure of the planned divisions. The revised version clarifies that officials can hold senior positions in the Revenue Policy Division with experience in macroeconomics, trade policy, and planning, rather than exclusively from tax or customs cadres.

Ahmed said that secretaries would be appointed to lead both divisions, and the roles of existing NBR members would be redefined as part of the transition.

Bangladesh has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios in the world, and the reform aims to improve collection and strengthen policy capacity.