Reconsider VAT on private varsities: Hanif

Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif on Thursday urged Finance Minister AMA Muhith to reconsider the decision regarding imposition of Value Added Tax (VAT) upon the private universities. He made the appeal while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion in Dhaka. Bangladesh Postmen and Employees Union organised the discussion followed by a milad mahfil at GPO Postal Auditorium of Dak Bhaban in Paltan, marking the 40th anniversary of martyrdom of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The union president Nasir Ahmed presided over the discussion, also addressed, among others, by Awami League labour affairs secretary Habibur Rahman Siraj, executive president of Jatiya Sramik League Fazlul Haque Montu and general secretary Sirajul Islam and additional director general of Postal Department Probhas Chandra Saha. Hanif said, "I would like to call upon the students of private universities to get back to their classes refraining from escalating people's sufferings by damaging vehicles on the streets. I would also urge finance minister to reconsider the decision in regard to imposition of VAT upon private universities, where most of the students are the wards of middle class or lower middle class families. We can come to a solution to the matter at a discussion in the Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament)," according to a news agency.
- biplab