Dhaka, May 22 -- Faced with intense backlash and staff resistance, the interim government has backed down from implementing a controversial ordinance that sought to split the National Board of Revenue (NBR) into separate wings for revenue policy and administration.

In a notification issued on Thursday, the finance ministry said the NBR would continue operating under its existing structure, admitting that enacting the ordinance, even with amendments, was proving to be "extremely time-consuming".

But the retreat was triggered by deep unrest.

Officials at the NBR had reacted furiously to the proposed restructure, with the NBR Reform Unity Council mobilising staff and preparing to escalate their protest.

The Council said it would announce...