Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation on Sunday organized post-budget press conference at National Press Club to press home their eight-point demand that includes reducing bidi prices to Tk10 from Tk14 after cutting supplementary duty on the industry.
Federation president MK Bangali read out a written statement while joint secretary Md. HarikHossain presided over the conference, according to a press release.
Executive President Amin Uddin BSC, General Secretary AbdurRahman, co-secretary PranabDathan, organizing secretary AbulHasnatLavlu, among others, were present.
In the written speech MK Bangali said, "In the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2019-2020, illogical duty has been imposed on Bidi which is four times the duty on the low-end cigarettes. Bidi’s duty has been increased by 24.2% while the duty on the low-cost cigarettes has been hiked only by 5.71%. Bidi's supplementary duty has been increased from 30% to 35%, on the other hand, multinational companies do not see any spike in supplementary duty on low-end and expensive cigarettes.
"The previous Finance Minister has set the timeline for closure of the Bidi industry by 2030. But cigarette industry has been given time till 2040. Such policy is inhumane for a domestic industry like Bidi," he added.
"Our neighboring India is protecting Bidi industry by announcing it as a cottage industry. Considering the employment of the poor people, the tax on biri in the neighboring country is tolerable. In India, duty on every thousand bidi is only Tk14 where we have to pay Tk313.60 in Bangladesh. That is conspiracy to terminate our industry"
At the press conference, the workers' leaders voiced their 8-point demand that includes (1) lowering low-end Bidi price to Tk10 from Tk14, (2) cutting supplementary duty to Tk14 for every thousand Bidi following India, (3) the supplementary duty must be increased on low-end and expensive cigarettes, (4) Advance income tax on Bidi must be revoked, (5) Bidi industry should immediately be declared as "Cottage Industry" following the policy of Bangabandhu, (6) integreted taxation for both the lower and middle end cigarettes, (7) price and supplementary duty of high-end cigarettes will have to be increased and (8) The minimum wage for the workers should Tk100 for every thousand Bidi produced.
