Why did a ridiculous incident occur in NBR's online meeting?

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is an important agency of the Government of Bangladesh. The NBR’s role is to formulate and implement policies regarding taxes and duties for the government. This includes matters such as customs, value-added tax (VAT), and income tax. In addition, it is also the responsibility of the NBR to prevent smuggling, conclude international agreements, and represent the government in any matter related to revenue policy. If such a ridiculous incident takes place in an online meeting of such an important agency, it is undoubtedly unfortunate for the nation.

According to reports published in the media yesterday (June 16), it was revealed that in the meeting held last Sunday, among the IDs joining the virtual Zoom platform, some participants appeared under names such as Donald Trump, the President of the United States, and Elon Musk, one of the world’s richest men and owner of Starlink. In addition, some joined using IDs under names like Tejgaon Egg Traders Association, Mayer Doa Sanitary, and other various names. This information was learned from meeting sources. There is now widespread discussion and criticism about the matter in various circles.

Regarding this, some NBR officials said that recently, officers and employees of the organisation held protests demanding the cancellation of the ordinance that dissolved the NBR and divided it into two parts. Some people joined under ‘fake’ names to see whether the NBR Chairman would say anything about the matter. Meanwhile, another section of officials believes that the protesters had declared non-cooperation with the NBR Chairman. Therefore, many did not participate. As a result, it is suspected that fake IDs may have been used to make the number of participants appear higher. The meeting presented the revenue collection status from the income tax sector for the 11 months up to May in the 2024–25 fiscal year.

There is no way to see such an incident as normal. Many participants not only joined under fake names, but they also used the names of personalities such as Donald Trump and Elon Musk—which clearly violates the rules of employment. Why should personal tabs, YouTube videos, or advertisements of household brands be visible in such a high-level government meeting? This reflects gross negligence toward an important government meeting. If such behaviour occurs in meetings where state policies are formulated, whom will the public trust?

This meeting of the NBR also reminds us of another point—Digital Bangladesh does not only mean internet connectivity; it also requires digital awareness, accountability, and professionalism. Those who have treated important government work as a joke under the guise of an online meeting have undoubtedly committed a punishable offence. We demand a proper investigation into this incident, and we urge the administration to issue an awareness message so that future meetings do not turn into such ‘ridiculous events’. If we are to preserve the dignity of state institutions, online meetings must be made more professional.