2015 Bangladesh student protests

Last updated

Students holding a "No VAT on education" placard. Private university students in Dhaka protest VAT on tuition fees (12).jpg
Students holding a "No VAT on education" placard.

The 2015 Bangladesh student protests on "No VAT on Education" were protests by students of private universities in Bangladesh demanding the VAT imposed on higher education in private universities be eliminated. [1] [2] The present Finance Minister of the Bangladesh Awami League government first introduced a 10% VAT upon higher education in private universities in the draft of budget of 2015–16. [3] Following strong opposition, the VAT was reduced to 7.5%. [4] The imposed VAT was withdrawn by the finance division after a cabinet meeting on 14 September 2015.

Universities in Bangladesh

Universities in Bangladesh represent about 75 academic bodies out of a total of about 105 institutions of the conventional higher education institution (HEI) in Bangladesh. Segmented by management and financial structure, these include 34 public universities, 56 private universities, 2 international universities, 31 specialized colleges, and 2 special universities. There are specialized universities in both categories offering courses principally in technological studies, medical studies, business studies and Islamic studies. There are two private universities dedicated solely to female students. The number of universities is growing mostly in and around the capital city of Dhaka.

A value-added tax (VAT), known in some countries as a goods and services tax (GST), is a type of tax that is assessed incrementally, based on the increase in value of a product or service at each stage of production or distribution. VAT essentially compensates for the shared services and infrastructure provided in a certain locality by a state and funded by its taxpayers that were used in the elaboration of that product or service. Not all localities require VAT to be charged and goods and services for export may be exempted. VAT is usually implemented as a destination-based tax, where the tax rate is based on the location of the consumer and applied to the sales price. Confusingly, the terms VAT, GST, consumption tax and sales tax are sometimes used interchangeably. VAT raises about a fifth of total tax revenues both worldwide and among the members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). As of 2018, 166 of the 193 countries with full UN membership employ a VAT, including all OECD members except the United States, which uses a sales tax system instead.

Contents

History

Previous government tried to impose similar VAT on private university tution fee in 2010, but had to revoke their decision as students protested strongly.

Protests

Private university students in Uttara,Dhaka protest VAT on tuition fees. Private university students in Dhaka protest VAT on tuition fees.jpg
Private university students in Uttara,Dhaka protest VAT on tuition fees.

On 22 June, law enforcement authorities foiled a procession of private university students heading for the finance ministry building to press home their demands. [4]

At the start of August 2015 the government announced they would not withdraw the VAT and that students must pay it. [5] The news sparked outrage among students. On 9 September, police opened fire on a protest by the students of East West University. [6] This caused outrage and immediate support for the cause by thousands of other students from different universities. [7] On 10 September, road blockades were carried out by students from different private universities to protest the VAT on tuition fees. [8] [9] The protest was sparked by controversial statements by the minister of finance, Abul Maal Abdul Muhith but he stood firm on the decision for the VAT to stay. [10] The government also issued a circular stating the VAT was only imposed on the private university authorities and the students need not pay. [11]

Abul Maal Abdul Muhith Bangladesh politician, economist

Abul Maal Abdul Muhith is an economist, diplomat, and a Bengali Language Movement veteran from Bangladesh. He was the country's Finance Minister since January 2009 till December 2018.

Incidents

There were two notable incident. First one happened at Dhanmondi 27, private universities students were attacked two times in a row [12] and the second one happened at Banani-Kakoli Square.[ when? ]

Result

On 14 September 2015 at a regular cabinet meeting directed by prime minister Sheikh Hasina, the Finance division decided to withdrew the VAT imposed on tuition fees. [13]

Sheikh Hasina Prime Minister of Bangladesh

Sheikh Hasina Wazed is a Bangladeshi politician serving as the 10th Prime Minister of Bangladesh, having held the office since January 2009. She is the longest serving prime minister in the history of Bangladesh.

Related Research Articles

Abul Barkat was a protester killed during the Bengali Language Movement protests which took place in the erstwhile East Pakistan, in 1952. He is considered a martyr in Bangladesh.

Shafiur Rahman Bangladeshi activist

Shafiur Rahman is considered in Bangladesh to be a martyr of the language movement which took place in the former East Pakistan.

Southeast University (Bangladesh)

Southeast University or SEU is a private university in Banani, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is one of the reputed universities in Bangladesh. The University was established under the Private University Act, 1992 approved by the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Its permanent campus is in 251/A & 252, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. SEU ranked 11th among private universities in Bangla Tribune University Ranking 2017.

Mohakhali DOHS is a "Posh" neighborhood of Dhaka for Armed Forces Officers. The neighborhoods belong in the Dhaka North City Corporation.

Popular Medical College

Popular Medical College (PMC) is a private medical school in Bangladesh, established in 2010. It is located in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. It is affiliated with University of Dhaka as a constituent college.

Dr. Sirajul Islam Medical College

Dr. Sirajul Islam Medical College (Dr.SIMC) is a private medical school in Bangladesh, established in 2011. It is located in Maghbazar, Dhaka. It is affiliated with University of Dhaka as a constituent college.

Gazi Medical College (GMC) is a private medical school in Bangladesh, established in 2011. It is located in Sonadanga, Khulna. It is affiliated with Rajshahi University under the Faculty of Medicine.

Apollo Hospital Dhaka is a private hospital in Bangladesh and is part of the Apollo Hospital Chain.

Bangladesh–Ireland relations

Bangladesh–Ireland relations refer to the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Ireland.

Abulkalam Abdul Momen is a Bangladeshi economist and diplomat. He was Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York from August 2009 to October 2015. He won the 2018 Bangladeshi general election from Sylhet-1 constituency. He was appointed as the minister for foreign affairs of the Government of Bangladesh.

Officers Club, Dhaka is a government officers club in Dhaka, Bangladesh. M Ibrahim Hossain Khan who is the additional Secretary of Public Administration Ministry was elected as General Secretary of the Club in 2016 with the term ending in 2017. The club is described as being "exclusive".

Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority

Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority or BEZA is a centralized economic zones authority of Bangladesh which was instuited by the government in November 2010 under Bangladesh Economic Zones Act, 2010. The organisation is responsible for establishing and managing of SEZs of Bangladesh. It is ran from Prime Minister’s Office of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Jute Mills corporation or BJMC, is a public corporation that owns and manages all government jute mills in Bangladesh and is located in Dhaka.

Bashundhara Residential Area is a private residential area of Vatara Thana in Dhaka District in the Division of Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is owned and operated by Bashundhara Group. The Project was started in the 1980s. In 2011 portions of the housing project was declared illegal as they were considerable flood flow zones of Dhaka. In 2014 a cabinet committee changed the Dhaka detailed plan to make the project legal. The project was built on area made by filling low-lying marshland and flood flow zones. The project has sold over 10,000 residential plots as of 2005.

Bangabandhu Memorial Hospital hospital

Bangabandhu Memorial Hospital (BBMH) is the largest private hospital in Chittagong, Bangladesh. With 220 beds and 15 wards, it serves between 700 and 1,000 patients per day, about three-quarters of them as outpatients. Dr Pakhtoon started his internship on 17/12/2018 in this hospital. Established in 1994 on the campus of the University of Science and Technology, Chittagong (USTC), it is run by the university and serves as the teaching hospital for its medical school, the Institute of Applied Health Science (IAHS). It is classified as one of the country's 23 "referral" hospitals, generally meaning one to which patients are referred by other healthcare entities because it is better equipped and employs medical specialists.

Hizb ut-Tahrir in Bangladesh is a banned international Islamist organization.

Banani Lake is a lake in Dhaka, Bangladesh, bordering Banani, Gulshan, Korail Slum, and Mohakhali.

Md. Akhtaruzzaman Professor and 28th Vice Chancellor of University of Dhaka

Md. Akhtaruzzaman is a Bangladeshi academic who is the current and the 28th vice-chancellor of the University of Dhaka. Prior to this position, he served in different academic, administrative and co-curricular development activities at the University of Dhaka including the Pro-Vice Chancellor (administration), Dean, Chairman, Department of Islamic History & Culture, and Provost of the Kabi Jashim Uddin Hall, University of Dhaka.

Khorshed Ara Haque is Bangladesh Jatiya Party politician and Member of the Parliament. She was elected from reserved seats for women.

References

  1. ↑ "#NO Vat on Education". The Daily Star.
  2. ↑ "Bangladesh students protest education tax". aljazeera.com.
  3. ↑ Anik, Syed Samiul Basher (2 August 2015). "NBR asks private varsities to pay VAT by August 15". Dhaka Tribune. Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Anger as tax on private university education agreed – University World News". www.universityworldnews.com. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  5. ↑ "NBR asks private varsities to pay VAT by August 15 – Dhaka Tribune". dhakatribune.com.
  6. ↑ "23 hurt as police foil anti-VAT EWU demo | Dhaka Tribune". www.dhakatribune.com. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  7. ↑ "Thousands of Bangladeshi students protest university tax". Yahoo News India. 10 September 2015.
  8. ↑ "Private university students in Dhaka protest VAT on tuition fees". bdnews24.com.
  9. ↑ "Students' demo stops Dhaka". The Daily Star.
  10. ↑ "UNB – VAT to stay, but students won't have to pay: Muhith". unb.com.bd. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  11. ↑ "Pvt varsity students begin strike". businessnews24bd.com.
  12. ↑ "Attack on student demo chanting 'Joy Bangla'". Prothom Alo . Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  13. ↑ Mamun, Shohel. "PM asks to withdraw education VAT". Dhaka Tribune . Retrieved 14 September 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.