Private University  students commence anti-VAT protest

East West University students began today’s strike against 7.5 percent VAT on private universities’ tuition fees with a sit-in demonstration.

Around a hundred students abandoned classes and exams and began protests near their campus in Dhaka’s Aftabnagar area around 10:00am.

Anti-VAT agitation spread like wildfire after police opened fire on a demonstration of East West University in Dhaka’s Rampura last Wednesday. The next day, students stopped capital Dhaka on its tracks for a day.

In face of mass demonstration, the government “clarified” that the VAT was to be paid by respective universities and “it would not be taxed from the students”.

The students however have rejected the “explanation” and threatened to wage strike for three-days, starting from Sunday, if the government does not remove the 7.5 percent VAT.