Bangladesh government workers protest tax authority reform
Live Events
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
Bangladesh security forces surrounded the national tax authority headquarters on Sunday as its employees extended a two-week-long strike over the interim government's reforms, reportedly leaving millions of dollars in taxes uncollected.Government orders to overhaul the powerful tax authority, the National Board of Revenue (NBR), have sparked fury from ordinary employees to top management."Tax, customs, and VAT -- all three wings will observe a complete work abstention from Monday," Joint Tax Commissioner Monalisa Saha Sushmita told reporters at the main NBR building in Dhaka, where police and armed security gathered.Bangladesh has been in turmoil since a student-led revolt ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, ending her 15-year iron-fisted rule.The interim government -- led by Nobel Peace Prize microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus -- is trying to instil sweeping government reforms.The tax board protest reflects the divisions, rival loyalties and confusion between government branches and the caretaker administration.The government order issued on May 12 proposed splitting the powerful money-raising NRB into two.Crucially, it would also hand control of the new sections to government-chosen civil servants from outside the NRB.Sushmita claimed that the strike will mean, in effect, that "imports and exports will also be halted" and that tax revenues totalling between $122-163 million per day had not been collected since the strike began.It was not possible to verify those figures.Bangladesh is the world's second-largest garment manufacturer, while textile and garment production accounts for about 80 percent of the country's exports.The industry has been rebuilding after it was hit hard by last year's unrest.In separate protests on Sunday, hundreds of civil servants demonstrated in Dhaka against a government order giving it greater power to sack employees for disciplinary breaches."If the government proceeds with the amended ordinance, the interim government will face severe criticism," said Mohammad Nazrul Islam from the Inter-Ministerial Employees Association.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
OnePlus 13s launched in India: Check price, features and specifications
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus launched its first compact flagship smartphone OnePlus 13s in India on Thursday. The phone fits on a palm like Pixel 9a and Galaxy S25 OnePlus revamped its iconic Alert Slider with the Plus Key — a new customisable button that can be programmed to toggle sound modes, turn on DND, launch the camera, torch, screen recorder, translation tool, or take a OnePlus 13s has a 6.32 inch 1.5K LTPO ProXDR AMOLED display with a dynamic 1–120 Hz refresh rate and up to 1,600 nits of peak being a compact device, the phone comes is fitted with a 5,850 mAh battery supported by an 80W SUPERVOOC charging solution inside the 13s comes with Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile platform with 12 GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 512 GB UFS 4.0 storage. It operates on OxygenOS 15 , based on Android it has the AI Plus Mind, which is a personal assistant that lets you save on-screen content instantly by pressing the Plus Key or swiping up with three smartphone comes equipped with a 50 MP main lens and a 50 MP telephoto camera. It gets a 32 MP front 13s begins at Rs 54,999 for the 12 GB/256 GB variant, while the 12 GB/512 GB model costs Rs 59,999. It comes in Green Silk, Black Velvet and Pink open sale starts on June 12 while the pre-book is currently open.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Why did Trump exclude terror-hub Pakistan from travel ban: Brahma Chellaney hints at US' Deep State's anti-India stance
— Chellaney (@Chellaney) Myanmar blacklisted despite US rebel ties; Pakistan untouched Live Events Trump defends decision citing terror threats at home The 'Deep State' debate: Why it matters India's war on foreign influence: A backdrop to the ban Young minds, long games: How influence takes root Why this matters to India—and the world (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation reviving his earlier travel ban, this time targeting 12 countries including Myanmar, Afghanistan, Iran, Chad, Somalia, and Yemen. The stated reason: national security and the inability to vet migrants from these regions. However, what's been left out has drawn more attention than what's on the accused by Indian analysts of sheltering terrorist networks—has been spared. This, according to Indian geostrategist Brahma Chellaney , isn't a coincidence.'Trump's entry ban on visitors from 12 countries includes Myanmar (where the US is aiding anti-junta rebels), but excludes terrorism-hub Pakistan, indicating his embrace of the Deep State approach to India's neighbourhood,' Chellaney posted on was included in the ban despite its ongoing civil war and the US's reported backing of anti-junta rebel factions. The exclusion of Pakistan, meanwhile, appears to run counter to the public American stance on terror financing . This contradiction, Chellaney argues, exposes a deeper pattern of American double Pakistan's exemption lies a financial angle. Trump-linked interests reportedly have a stake in World Liberty Financial (WLF), a cryptocurrency firm that has signed a deal with Pakistan. The company's website openly displays, 'Inspired by Donald J Trump,' and is said to be co-owned by his sons, Eric and Donald Jr., along with Jared Kushner, who collectively hold a 60% Trump, in a post on Truth Social, justified the move by linking it to national security concerns. 'We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen,' he said. He referenced the recent Boulder terror attack to underscore what he sees as urgent restrictions have also been imposed on seven other countries including Cuba, Laos, Venezuela, and comment taps into a long-running and complex theory: the existence of a 'Deep State'—a shadow network of intelligence officers, officials, and financiers—who allegedly shape US policy regardless of the elected government's the idea is often dismissed as a conspiracy, it has gained traction in both right-wing American circles and among foreign governments, especially those at odds with Washington. The term broadly refers to entrenched institutions—like the CIA, FBI, Pentagon, and aligned media and NGOs—operating behind the scenes to sustain US global decades, these networks have been accused of backing coups, interfering in elections, and orchestrating regime change to suit American interests. In India, the theory has taken on more weight as the government cracks down on NGOs suspected of receiving funds from foreign entities pushing Western 2016, the Indian government has revoked licences of over 6,000 NGOs under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). More than 19,000 such organisations were deregistered between 2011 and 2019. Officials have raised red flags over entities funded by George Soros Open Society Foundation , Pierre Omidyar's Omidyar Network, and the Ford Foundation—all of which are now under tight these foundations continue to operate via intermediary organisations, channelling funds toward media groups and advocacy platforms critical of the Indian government.A representative of NGO Monitor, speaking anonymously, said, 'Soros has a very clear political philosophy—open society. He funds education and universities because he believes change must rise from the grassroots.'According to them, Soros-backed initiatives have influenced politics in Ukraine, Hungary, Croatia, and attempted similar tactics during the Arab Spring. 'When you examine the work of Soros-funded organisations, their commitment to democracy rings hollow,' the source foundations offer fellowships to Indian students, shaping a future network of academics, journalists, and policymakers who echo liberal narratives critical of nationalist Soros has not hidden his views. At the Munich Security Conference in 2023, he declared, 'Adani is accused of stock manipulation and his stock collapsed like a house of cards. Modi is silent on the subject, but he will have to answer questions from foreign investors and in parliament. This will significantly weaken Modi's stranglehold on India's federal government and open the door to push for much-needed institutional reforms. I may be naive, but I expect a democratic revival in India.'External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar responded sharply, calling Soros 'an old, rich, opinionated, and dangerous billionaire.' Smriti Irani, then Minister for Women and Child Development, labelled the speech 'an attack on India.'Chellaney's critique, rooted in these long-running debates, suggests that the Trump administration's actions are shaped more by covert interests than by principled policy. The deliberate omission of Pakistan from the ban list, despite its terror links, highlights what he sees as a return to American strategic hypocrisy—one that India has been increasingly vocal the US doubles down on 'vetting' and migration control, critics warn that these decisions often mask more calculated moves. Ones that have little to do with security—and everything to do with influence.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
India coal power output drops 9.5% in May at fastest pace in five years
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel India's coal-fired electricity generation in May fell at the fastest pace in five years, as overall power demand declined for the first time since August and renewable energy generation rose to a record high, a Reuters analysis of government data generation from less polluting power sources including hydro and nuclear also led to a decline in natural gas-fired power output, which fell at the steepest rate in nearly three years, a review of data from the federal power grid regulator Grid India decline in demand for fossil fuels for electricity generation in India - the second largest importer of coal and the fourth biggest buyer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) - comes at a time when benchmark prices of the fuels are under pressure."Demand from the power sector - typically strong during peak season - remained limited. Additionally, economic headwinds have weighed on non-power industries," Indian coal trader I-Energy said in a note this spot LNG prices have declined more than 15% this year, while benchmark prices of thermal coal have plunged to more than 4-year lows due to weak demand from China and India - the top coal importing coal-fired power generation fell 9.5% in May on an annual basis to 113.3 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh), a review of data from the federal power grid regulator Grid India showed, marking the sharpest year-on-year decline since June 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic led to a nationwide lockdown.A sustained slowdown in demand for fossil fuels for power generation could help the world's third largest emitter of greenhouse gases slash emissions after it previously boosted its reliance on coal to power a post-pandemic economic has repeatedly cited lower per capita emissions compared with richer nations to defend its high coal in China and India have cut dependence on coal and LNG imports this year also due to record coal stocks and slower growth in power had forced gas-based power plants to operate last year to meet high power demand as temperatures power demand is lower and prices are high for gas-fired power to be competitive with other sources such as solar this year, utilities will buy fewer volumes, said Prashant Vashisth, vice president at Moody's affiliate electricity generation in May fell 5.3% year-on-year to 160.4 billion kWh, the data showed, with the highest peak demand about 8% lower on-year at 231 GW, mainly due to milder temperatures, government officials demand - a measure of the maximum electricity requirement over any given time - reached 250 GW during a heatwave in May renewable energy output surged to a record high of 24.7 billion kWh in May, up 17.2% from a year earlier, with its share in the overall power mix rising to 15.4% - the highest since records began in share of coal in India's power mix dropped to 70.7% in May, down from 74.0% a year earlier and the lowest level since June 2022, according to the Grid India generation jumped 8.3% to 14.5 billion kWh, accounting for 9.0% of total generation compared to 7.9% in May 2024, the data gas-fired power generation fell 46.5% annually to 2.78 billion kWh in May, the steepest decline since October 2022.(Reporting by Sudarshan Varadhan and Sethuraman N R; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
