Administrative Decision Transfers 38 Customs Officials

Bangladesh’s customs administration has witnessed a significant round of transfers, with 38 senior and mid-level officials reassigned in a single, coordinated move. The reshuffle includes commissioners, joint commissioners, additional commissioners, deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners, reflecting a broad effort by the authorities to refresh leadership, redistribute expertise and strengthen operational effectiveness across the country’s customs houses.

According to official notifications issued by the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the transfers were formalised through five separate gazettes. One order was issued on Tuesday, 3 February, while the remaining four were published on Thursday, 5 February. Collectively, these directives set out the new postings, moving officials both from Dhaka to various customs houses nationwide and from regional offices back to the capital.

Among those transferred are three commissioners: Abul Bashar Md Shafikur Rahman, Md Mahafuzur Rahman (currently serving in an acting capacity), and Md Zakin Hossain (also in acting charge). Their reassignment is seen as particularly significant, given the strategic role commissioners play in policy implementation, revenue mobilisation and enforcement oversight.

The reshuffle also affects four joint commissioners—Md Al Amin, Suman Das, Majedul Haque and Mohibur Rahman Bhuiyan—and five additional commissioners: Kamnashish, Mohammad Selim Sheikh, Rakibul Hasan, Minhaj Uddin and Abdul Rashid Mia. These officials are typically responsible for supervising major operational units, audit functions and compliance activities, making their redeployment an important signal of administrative recalibration.

At the operational level, eight deputy commissioners have been transferred: Mohammad Saifur Rahman, Prabhat Kumar Singh, Nurun Nahar Lili, Tanjila Yasmin, Zobaida Khanam, Rabindra Kumar Singh, Md Mashur Rahman and Ali Reza Haider. In addition, 18 assistant commissioners—often the frontline managers of assessment, clearance and enforcement—have also been reassigned. This group includes Shubhra Deb Mondal, Apurba Saha, Abdus Sattar, Faisal Ahmed, Md Shawkat Hossain, Dipu Ram Roy, Samia Nishat, Md Aiyub, Firoz Hossain Biswas, Asibul Haque, Rebeka Sultana Rima, Abu Saleh Abdun Nur, Minhaj Uddin Ahmed Sourav, Md Shahadat Hossain, Md Abdullah, AKM Jamiul Alam, Abdus Salam and Mostafa Kamal.

Observers note that such large-scale transfers are not uncommon within the revenue administration, particularly when the NBR seeks to enhance administrative dynamism, curb complacency and ensure that officers gain experience across different stations and functional areas. Rotations between Dhaka and regional customs houses are often intended to balance institutional knowledge, reduce risks associated with long tenures in sensitive posts and improve overall service delivery.

Breakdown of Transferred Officials by Rank

The NBR has not publicly detailed the specific rationale behind each posting, but officials familiar with administrative practice suggest the reshuffle aligns with ongoing efforts to modernise customs operations, strengthen revenue collection and improve governance standards. With these changes now in effect, attention will turn to how swiftly the newly posted officers adapt to their roles and whether the reshuffle delivers the anticipated improvements in efficiency and accountability across Bangladesh’s customs system.