SECOND EDITION
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015
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BD TO HELP TRACE BANGKOK BOMBER PAGE 4
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Bhadro 28, 1422, Zilqad 27, 1436
Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 149
THREE REMANDED IN AVIJIT MURDER CASE PAGE 5
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www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages | Price: Tk10
LAND RECLAMATION FOR CLIMATE MIGRANTS PAGE 32
ANUB urges government not to impose VAT
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n Tribune Report The Association of Non-Government Universities of Bangladesh (ANUB) yesterday made its case for the revocation of a proposed 7.5% VAT that the government wants to levy on private universities, at a press briefing at the Gulshan Club. ANUB president, Sheikh Kabir, told the media: “The Association urges the government to reconsider the imposition of VAT on private universities or their students. “Even if no tuition is raised, then any VAT taken from the institutions will still effectively be taking away resources that could have been used for the good of the faculty and students. “Also, as student tuition is the main source of income for the universities, therefore it is hard to see how taking the VAT from the universities won’t eventually affect the students.” Private university students protesting against the tax announced yesterday that demonstrations would continue on Sunday at all private universities across the country unless the government withdrew the VAT on education. One of the chapters of the student protest platform announced that a three-day strike would be held from today. ANUB asked students to keep all protests completely peaceful and called on them to avoid inconveniencing the public at large. Student protest platform “No VAT on Education” made the announcement yesterday at a press conference, at which the group of disgruntled univer-
Students on Mirpur Road in the capital’s Dhanmondi neighbourhood gesture and chant slogans as they protest the proposed 7.5% VAT on private university education and demand its withdrawal in this file photo RAJIB DHAR sity students accused the government of staging a drama with its clarification on Thursday about who would be responsible for paying the 7.5% VAT. The group was referring to a press notice issued by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and mass texted as a public service announcement that stated that the VAT would be levied on university authorities and not students. Speaking at the press conference in the capital’s Aftabnagar neighbourhood, Salauddin Mithu, a student protester from East West University, said: “Private university students will continue their protest from Sunday on their own campuses unless the government withdraws
the VAT on education by Sunday. “We demand the withdrawal of all sorts of VAT on education. With due respect, we are rejecting the government clarification which said that VAT would be paid by the private universities and not the students, as the VAT will later be collected from us under the name of other fees.” The students also demanded punishment for those who attacked a demonstration by East West University students on Wednesday.
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87 die in Grand Mosque crane collapse
Commuters brace for effects of transport price hike
n Agencies
n Shohel Mamun and Abu Hayat Mahmud
At least 87 people were killed and over 180 others injured when a construction crane crashed into the Grand Mosque of Mecca in Saudi Arabia yesterday, the head of Saudi Arabia’s civil defence authorities told Al Ikhbariya television. Al Arabiya television earlier said the crane had fallen because of strong storms – western Saudi Arabia has been hit by strong sand
storms in the last few days. Witnesses said the crane had collapsed around 5:45pm local time. The Emir of Makkah Prince Khaled Al-Faisal has commissioned a committee to investigate the cause of the deadly collapse. Pictures circulating on social media showed bloodied bodies strewn across a courtyard where the top part of the crane, which appeared to have collapse or snapped, had crashed into it. PAGE 2 COLUMN 4
Dhaka city residents must shoulder yet another cost of living increase from October 1, as a transportation price hike comes into effect, adding to the burden of increased gas, power, water and sewerage prices announced earlier this month. For commuters, the fear is that the fare hike, however modest, will help operators, who have grown accustomed to overcharging
passengers, justify large fare increases. The daily commute is the latest casualty to the inflationary surge set off by the government upping power and energy prices. Increased utilities prices have already pushed up rent and other living costs for many residents of the city. Dhaka commuters are already charged far more than government-fixed fares and fear that hiking the official rate will send actual PAGE 2 COLUMN 2