Private university authorities have arranged for the students to get back the money they had already paid as VAT on their tuition fees.
The value-added tax that had already been collected from students shall be returned in two ways: either the amount will be adjusted with the next semester’s tuition fees, or the students would be able to collect the cash or a cheque from their respective accounts office.
The decision was posted on websites of the private universities concerned as their students started returning to classrooms after their successful street demonstrations made the government withdraw the VAT on education.
Classes resumed yesterday at North South University, which along with Independent University Bangladesh announced of suspending classes on September 13; the IUB will open again on September 27.
Other universities that saw their students boycott classes since protests intensified last Thursday, also returned to their universities yesterday.
University authorities said make-up classes would be held to cover for the losses in academic activities during the demonstrations.
Talking about the return of VAT money, Prof M Omar Rahman, vice-chancellor of IUB, told the Dhaka Tribune: “A sum of money was taken as VAT from the students when it was enforced by the government. Since then, the government has cancelled VAT on private universities and the authority has established the policy to return the money.
“The money will be adjusted in the next tuition fees. If a student wants to take back the money, they will have to contact the accounts department. Procedures will be carried out to return their VAT money,” he said
Brac University VC Prof Syed Saad Andaleeb said: “Brac university will provide cash or give a cheque to the students. It will be adjusted in their next tuition fees. The students need to bring the receipt. The procedure has already been implemented.”
Green University of Bangladesh VC Prof Md Golam Samdani Fakir told the Dhaka Tribune: “Under the general procedure of tuition fees, students pay it twice before the mid-term and after the mid-term. The money will be adjusted in the second instalment.”