2015 Bangladesh student protests against VAT on education

none April 2022 thumb|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.https://www.thedailystar.net/star-weekend/shutterstories/no-vat-education-109981 #NO Vat on Education The Daily Starhttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/09/bangladesh-students-protest-education-tax-150913135946300.html Bangladesh students protest education tax Al Jazeera 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. Following strong opposition, the VAT was reduced to 7.5%.Anger as tax on private university education agreed – University World News https://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20150701113036189 universityworldnews.com 12 September 2015 The imposed VAT was withdrawn by the finance division after a cabinet meeting on 14 September 2015. History Previous government tried to impose similar VAT on private university tuition fee in 2010, but had to revoke their decision as students protested strongly. Protests thumb|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. At the start of August 2015 the government announced they would not withdraw the VAT and that students must pay it.Anik Syed Samiul Basher 1 August 2015 NBR asks private varsities to pay VAT by August 15 https://archive.dhakatribune.com/uncategorized/2015/08/01/nbr-asks-private-varsities-to-pay-vat-by-august-15 Dhaka Tribune The news sparked outrage among students. On 9 September, police opened fire on a protest by the students of East West University.23 hurt as police foil anti-VAT EWU demo https://archive.dhakatribune.com/uncategorized/2015/09/09/23-hurt-as-police-foil-anti-vat-ewu-demo Dhaka Tribune 12 September 2015 This caused outrage and immediate support for the cause by thousands of other students from different universities.https://in.news.yahoo.com/thousands-bangladeshi-students-protest-university-094550264.html Thousands of Bangladeshi students protest university tax 10 September 2015 Yahoo News India 12 September 2015 https://archive.today/20150920094420/https://in.news.yahoo.com/thousands-bangladeshi-students-protest-university-094550264.html 20 September 2015 dead On 10 September, road blockades were carried out by students from different private universities to protest the VAT on tuition fees.http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2015/09/10/private-university-students-in-dhaka-protest-vat-on-tuition-fees Private university students in Dhaka protest VAT on tuition fees bdnews24.comhttps://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/traffic-chaos-stops-dhaka-141397 Students' demo stops Dhaka The Daily Star 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.VAT to stay, but students won't have to pay: Muhith http://unb.com.bd/muhith-vat-2 UNB 12 September 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150916040015/http://unb.com.bd/muhith-vat-2 16 September 2015 dead The government also issued a circular stating the VAT was only imposed on the private university authorities and the students need not pay.http://businessnews24bd.com/pvt-varsity-students-begin-strike/ Pvt varsity students begin strike businessnews24bd.com 12 September 2015 22 May 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170522140708/http://businessnews24bd.com/pvt-varsity-students-begin-strike/ dead Incidents There were two notable incident. First one happened at Dhanmondi 27, private universities students were attacked two times in a rowAttack on student demo chanting 'Joy Bangla' http://www.en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/78791/BCL-men-attack-student-demo-chanting-%E2%80%98Joy-Bangla%E2%80%99 Prothom Alo https://web.archive.org/web/20150911235906/http://www.en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/78791/BCL-men-attack-student-demo-chanting-%E2%80%98Joy-Bangla%E2%80%99 11 September 2015 10 September 2015 and the second one happened at Banani-Kakoli Square on 14 September.Titumir College students attack agitating private varsity students at Dhaka's Banani https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2015/09/14/titumir-college-students-attack-agitating-private-varsity-students-at-dhakas-banani bdnews24.com 14 September 2015 Result On 14 September 2015 at a regular cabinet meeting directed by prime minister Sheikh Hasina, the Finance division decided to withdraw the VAT imposed on tuition fees.Mamun Shohel PM asks to withdraw education VAT http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/sep/14/vat-education-withdrawn 14 September 2015 Dhaka Tribune https://web.archive.org/web/20150916234402/http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/sep/14/vat-education-withdrawn 16 September 2015 Gallery See also Anti-austerity protests Politics of Bangladesh 2018 Bangladesh road-safety protests References Student protests Category:2015 protests 2015 Category:June 2015 in Bangladesh Category:August 2015 in Bangladesh Category:September 2015 in Bangladesh