VAT on tuition fees: Students threaten to continue movement

Rejecting the government’s clarification over the 7.5 percent VAT on tuition fees, students from several private universities today warned that they would go for a tougher movement until the imposed VAT is withdrawn.

“If our demand is not met, we will go for nonstop sit-in programs on our own campuses from Sunday,” Salauddin Mithu a student of East West University made the announcement at a press briefing at Aftab Nagar in Dhaka this afternoon.

“The government is telling that the university authority and not the students will have to pay the VAT on tuition fees. We are rejecting the government’s proposal with due respect,” Mithu said.

“We will continue the movement until all sorts of VAT on education are withdrawn,” he warned.

He blamed the police for launching an attack on them and demanded punishment for the attackers.

On the other hand, Stamford University students under the banner of ‘No VAT on Education’ announced that they would to go for a three-day general strike at all private universities across the country from tomorrow.

“The imposed VAT on tuition fees will have to be withdrawn immediately,” a student of the university demanded at a press briefing held on its campus today.

They also called upon the University Grants Commission to formulate a time befitting and student friendly policy on tuition fees immediately to end the prevailing crisis.