ISLAMABAD – A high-level delegation from the National Board of Revenue (NBR) of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh visited the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) Secretariat on Tuesday and held a meeting with the Hon’ble Federal Tax Ombudsman, Mr. Zafar-ul-Haq Hijazi.
The delegation was led by Mr. Md. Lutful Azeem and included senior officials of the NBR, among them Mr. Abul Kalam Kaikobad, Member (Tax Administration & Human Resource Management); Barrister Mutasim Billah Faruque, First Secretary (Tax Policy); Mr. Mohammad Abdur Rakib, Commissioner of Taxes, Income Tax Intelligence & Investigation Unit; Mr. Md. Jafar Imam, First Secretary (NBR); Mr. Dewan Mohammad Gholam Kibria, Second Secretary (International Agreements and Opinions); and Press Counsellor Mr. Tayub Ali.
Welcoming the delegation, Mr. Zafar-ul-Haq Hijazi appreciated the visit and underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh in the field of taxation. He shared his vision and future priorities for the Federal Tax Ombudsman institution, highlighting accountability, institutional efficiency, and effective redressal of taxpayers’ grievances. He expressed optimism that continued engagement would further enhance cooperation between the two countries.
Advisor (Customs), Dr. Arslan Subuctageen, briefed the delegation through a detailed presentation on the mandate, objectives, and working mechanisms of the Federal Tax Ombudsman, with emphasis on transparency, efficiency, and taxpayer facilitation.
The meeting also discussed prospects for future collaboration between the NBR of Bangladesh and the Federal Tax Ombudsman, particularly in tax dispute resolution, institutional cooperation, and the exchange of best practices to promote a fair, transparent, and efficient tax environment conducive to trade and investment.
Senior officers of the Federal Tax Ombudsman Secretariat, including Registrar to the FTO Mr. Khalid Javed and Advisor (Sales Tax) Mr. Muhammad Nazim Saleem, were also present on the occasion.
