Private university students yesterday staged a massive demonstration in Dhaka and some other places in the country that by far is the biggest gathering since the anti-VAT protests began months ago.
Amid statements that the government is not rigid on the VAT issue, several universities announcing early Eid vacations and others promising to not take the tax from students, protesters announced their intention to continue demonstrations today as well.
Boycotting classes, hundreds of students staged sit-ins on important roads and the busiest intersections from 10am to 4:30pm, bringing the capital city to a literal standstill with a severe traffic gridlock on the first working day of the week.
The protesters mainly gathered at Uttara, Dhanmondi, Baridhara, Shyamoli, Panthapath, Mohakhali, Banani and Rampura areas, which have a concentration of private universities.
Reports of similar protests came in from Rajshahi, Sylhet and Chittagong cities as well.
However, just like the previous days, the protests have been largely peaceful and there have been no reports of any violence or untoward incidents anywhere in the country.
On Thursday, anti-VAT protesters’ blockade and sit-in programmes also caused the city to experience a similar traffic gridlock.
Around 300 agitators from the East West University blockaded the Rampura Bridge around 11am, halting vehicular movement on the road from Mouchak to Badda Pragati Sarani. Trafic in the entire Gulshan area was also affected.
Taking position on the Rampura Bridge, they chanted slogans like “education is not a product” and “VAT on education is the death of a nation,” according to our reporter Shadma Malik.
“The EWU has announced that tuition fees will not be raised in the next three years, but the students do not want VAT on education. If the authorities need to pay the tax then they would cut other facilities which will hamper our academic curriculum,” said Tanjin, a student of genetic engineering at EWU.
After a meeting with a team of RAB around 2pm, EWU Vice-Chancellor Prof Ahmed Shafee said: “We will soon hold a meeting with the government and find a solution that will benefit the students.”
Students of the North South University (NSU) and Independent University Bangladesh (IUB) brought out processions from their campuses and blockaded the road in front of the gate of the Basundhara Residential Area, our reporter Jebunnesa Alo reports.
Brac University students began the day’s protests in the morning by bringing out a procession and then blockading the Mohakhali-Gulshan road around 12:30pm.
In Dhanmondi, vehicular movement on the Satmasjid Road, Asad Gate crossing to Sukrabad crossing and the Science Laboratory crossing came to a halt after students of State University Bangladesh (SUB) and University of Development Alternative (UODA) took to the streets.
Protesters from the Dhaka International University (DIU) and World University of Bangladesh took position at the Panthapath-Green road intersection, halting traffic from Russel Square to the Bashundhara City Shopping Mall, reports our correspondents Abu Hayat Mahmud and Nure Alam Durjoy.
The protesters, however, kept emergency vehicles such as ambulances and public university transports out of the purview of their blockade.
“We are not general people’s enemies. We are just carrying out the protests to press our demand for cancellation of VAT,” said Badal Mirja, a student of Electrical and Electronics Engineering department of the Dhanmondi-based University of Asia Pacific (UAP).
Protesters said they would take up the same positions today if the situation does not change.
“If our demand is not fulfilled, we will stage the same programme tomorrow [Monday] at 10am,” Badal said while briefing media in front of the Shankar campus of the State University of Bangladesh.
In a press briefing near Rapa Plaza in Dhanmondi, Abdul Baten, deputy commissioner of police’s Ramna zone, told reporters that the students listened to their requests and freed the roads. In reply to a query about their plan of action regarding today’s scheduled protests, Baten said their next step would depend on the direction that the movement takes.
NSU, IUB closed
Yesterday, the authorities of NSU and IUB declared the universities closed until September 15 and 26 respectively. The announcement came in the second half of the day in the form of notices published on the university websites.
NSU classes and exams have been suspended. IUB went into Eid-ul-Azha vacations at least a week ahead of schedule. Daffodil International University and Brac University both suspended classes for today. Prime Asia University examinations scheduled for today have been postponed.
South East University, which is on vacation, has pushed back the resumption of classes to September 30 from September 15.
Outside Dhaka
Students of the North Bengal and Varendra universities in Rajshahi took to the streets.
Under the banner “No VAT on Education,” around 100 students of the North Bengal University brought out a procession in the city and ended up with a gathering at the Shaheb Bazar Zero Point around 11am. Students of Varendra University blockaded the highway in front of the campus creating a half-an-hour traffic jam.
Elsewhere in Sylhet, students of several private universities staged a demonstration in the city from 11am to 3pm. Students from the Metropolitan University, Leading University, International University, North-East University, Women Medical College and North-East Medical College participated in the protests.
Government softens
Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said that the government had not closed the door to discussion on the VAT issue.
“I am not rigid about the National Board of Revenue’s decision to impose VAT on tuition fees of private universities,” he said.
Muhith claimed he had not been rigid on any matter over the six years he had been serving as finance minister.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said yesterday: “We will make a practical decision on the imposition of 7.5 % VAT on private university tuition fees.”
