A Correspondent, Patuakhali) :
Referring that the discriminatory tax policy has been pushing the country’s bidi industry towards the verge of collapse, the Bidi Federation leaders in Patuakhali on Wednesday threatened to go for tough movement including fast unto death to save the Bidi Industry.
Addressing a rally after a road show and human chain in front of the Press Club in Patuakhali city, the Bidi Federation leaders said the government will have to take the responsibility of the lakhs of laborers of Bidi industry who are going to be unemployed due to discriminatory tax policy of the government.
‘Bangladesh Bidi Industry Sramik Federation’ organized the rally at the Press Club premises of Patuakhali city on the last day of their 3-day road show in different parts of the country.
Laxman Chandra Debnath, Federation leader of the Patuakhali region, presided over the human chain and rally while General Secretary of the Federation, M K Bangali attended as chief guest.
Joint General Secretary, Abdur Rahman, Organising Secretary, Herik Hossain, Lokman Hakim, Habibur Rahman, Members Shamim Hossain Abul Hasnat Lablu, Pranab Debnath also addressed the rally among others.
While addressing, M K Bangalee said Bidi is a local technology based industry where lakhs of poor workers across the country are working to maintain their livelihoods, so survival of this industry is very important for the sake of the country’s economic development.
Demanding immediate step of the government to save the Bidi industry, Bangalee said the investment and profit in Bidi industry remains in the country on the other hand in cigarette industry no such worker is needed, BATC could not create remarkable number of employment opportunity here, whereas Bidi industry owners has created huge employment opportunity for poor rural people.
“Our demand to the government is to form a commission on Bidi industry where the representatives from the owners, workers bodies and concerned authority of the government will be comprised. And the decision on Bidi industry will be taken through consultation of the stakeholders”, Bangalee added.
He alleged that the government is not increasing tax on Tk 60,000 crore cigarette industry a year but tax is increasing every year on the only Tk 4000 crore Bidi industry.
“We are talking in favour of 20 lakhs of Bidi workers. The 200 years old industry is on the verge of collapse today even our neighboring countries like India, Nepal, Srilanka have relaxed their policy on Bidi industry, we hope our government will understand this and will take measure to reduce tax on this industry in the next budget”, said Joint General Secretary of the federation, Abdur Rahman
He said that it’s true that smoking is injurious for health, well, then if Cigarette is allowed then why not Bidi?
Rahman alleged that taking bribe the dishonest officers at the NBR are providing undue facilities to the BATC which resulted into bring the Bidi industry on the verge of collapse, so this may not go on, NBR must have to change it’s discriminatory policy otherwise Bidi Sramik Federation will call for tough movement even to stage fast unto death to save our industry.
Earlier hundreds of Bidi workers from different parts of Patuakhali joined the human chain through road show in front of the Patuakhali Press Club.
Through Wednesday’s road show in Patuakhali, the third phase of the countrywide program of the Bidi Sramik Federation came to an end.
Referring that the discriminatory tax policy has been pushing the country’s bidi industry towards the verge of collapse, the Bidi Federation leaders in Patuakhali on Wednesday threatened to go for tough movement including fast unto death to save the Bidi Industry.
Addressing a rally after a road show and human chain in front of the Press Club in Patuakhali city, the Bidi Federation leaders said the government will have to take the responsibility of the lakhs of laborers of Bidi industry who are going to be unemployed due to discriminatory tax policy of the government.
‘Bangladesh Bidi Industry Sramik Federation’ organized the rally at the Press Club premises of Patuakhali city on the last day of their 3-day road show in different parts of the country.
Laxman Chandra Debnath, Federation leader of the Patuakhali region, presided over the human chain and rally while General Secretary of the Federation, M K Bangali attended as chief guest.
Joint General Secretary, Abdur Rahman, Organising Secretary, Herik Hossain, Lokman Hakim, Habibur Rahman, Members Shamim Hossain Abul Hasnat Lablu, Pranab Debnath also addressed the rally among others.
While addressing, M K Bangalee said Bidi is a local technology based industry where lakhs of poor workers across the country are working to maintain their livelihoods, so survival of this industry is very important for the sake of the country’s economic development.
Demanding immediate step of the government to save the Bidi industry, Bangalee said the investment and profit in Bidi industry remains in the country on the other hand in cigarette industry no such worker is needed, BATC could not create remarkable number of employment opportunity here, whereas Bidi industry owners has created huge employment opportunity for poor rural people.
“Our demand to the government is to form a commission on Bidi industry where the representatives from the owners, workers bodies and concerned authority of the government will be comprised. And the decision on Bidi industry will be taken through consultation of the stakeholders”, Bangalee added.
He alleged that the government is not increasing tax on Tk 60,000 crore cigarette industry a year but tax is increasing every year on the only Tk 4000 crore Bidi industry.
“We are talking in favour of 20 lakhs of Bidi workers. The 200 years old industry is on the verge of collapse today even our neighboring countries like India, Nepal, Srilanka have relaxed their policy on Bidi industry, we hope our government will understand this and will take measure to reduce tax on this industry in the next budget”, said Joint General Secretary of the federation, Abdur Rahman
He said that it’s true that smoking is injurious for health, well, then if Cigarette is allowed then why not Bidi?
Rahman alleged that taking bribe the dishonest officers at the NBR are providing undue facilities to the BATC which resulted into bring the Bidi industry on the verge of collapse, so this may not go on, NBR must have to change it’s discriminatory policy otherwise Bidi Sramik Federation will call for tough movement even to stage fast unto death to save our industry.
Earlier hundreds of Bidi workers from different parts of Patuakhali joined the human chain through road show in front of the Patuakhali Press Club.
Through Wednesday’s road show in Patuakhali, the third phase of the countrywide program of the Bidi Sramik Federation came to an end.
