ISLAMABAD: A high-level delegation from the National Board of Revenue (NBR), People’s Republic of Bangladesh, on Wednesday visited the Federal Tax Ombudsman Secretariat and called on the Hon’ble Federal Tax Ombudsman, Zafar-ul-Haq Hijazi, at his office in Islamabad.
The delegation was led by Mr. Md. Lutful Azeem and included senior officials of the Bangladesh revenue administration, among them Mr. Abul Kalam Kaikobad, Member (Tax Administration and Human Resource Management), Barrister Mutasim Billah Faruque, First Secretary (Tax Policy), Mr. Mohammad Abdur Rakib, Commissioner of Taxes, Income Tax Intelligence and Investigation Unit, Mr. Md. Jafar Imam, First Secretary (NBR), Mr. Dewan Mohammad Gholam Kibria, Second Secretary (International Agreements and Opinions), and Mr. Tayub Ali, Press Counsellor.
Welcoming the delegation, Mr. Zafar-ul-Haq Hijazi appreciated the visit and expressed his strong interest in developing sustained and meaningful cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh in the field of tax administration and dispute resolution. He shared his vision and future priorities for the Federal Tax Ombudsman institution, highlighting accountability, institutional efficiency, transparency, and the effective resolution of taxpayers’ grievances. He expressed optimism that continued engagement and exchange of best practices would further strengthen bilateral cooperation in tax-related matters.
During the meeting, Advisor (Customs) Dr. Arslan Subuctageen gave a detailed presentation on the working of the Federal Tax Ombudsman, outlining its mandate, objectives, procedural mechanisms, and performance indicators. The presentation emphasized the institution’s role in promoting transparency, improving efficiency, and facilitating taxpayers through fair and timely complaint redressal.
The discussions also focused on exploring avenues for future collaboration between the National Board of Revenue of Bangladesh and the Federal Tax Ombudsman institution, particularly in tax dispute resolution, institutional cooperation, and the sharing of best practices. Both sides underscored the importance of such cooperation in fostering a fair, transparent, and efficient tax environment supportive of trade and investment.
The meeting was attended by senior officers of the Federal Tax Ombudsman Secretariat, including Mr. Khalid Javed, Registrar to the FTO, and Mr. Muhammad Nazim Saleem, Advisor (Sales Tax).
