At a press conference at the National Press Club, they said they are to buy now one ton newsprint at Tk 62,000 by paying Tk 22,000 as import tariff, VAT, surcharge, PCI and DF VAT.

The scenario is same in the case of white paper also, they added.

The leaders said the price hike of paper will hinder their business, which in turn will hamper the interest of around three crore students and many other readers across the country.

Taking the opportunity of present price hike, local paper industries also hiked the price of their paper whereas the government didn't impose any new tax on them, they alleged.

The leaders said local producers hiked the price twice within last one and a half months and they are now selling per ton of paper at Tk 49,000.

They also alleged that private sector is manipulating the local paper market as only one state-owned Karnaphuli Paper Mills is now open.

Reading out a written statement at the conference, association Chairman Abu Taher demanded that the local producers should sell their paper at reasonable price for publications.

He also demanded government intervention in this regard.

Referring to government's decision to publish next year's textbooks in white paper, he posed the question, if the paper price is not cut, how a student will be able to buy the book at such a high price?

Md Tajul Islam, Kamrul Islam Sayak, SM Omar Faruk, Alhaj Md Abul Kalam, Md Abdur Razzak, Abdul Wadud Master, and Md Abdus Salam also spoke at the press conference.