Economic Reporter :
Speakers at a grand rally on Satarday vowed to prevent any conspiracy to close down the Bidi industry by imposing excess duties. They said, Bidi industry is one of the oldest ones in the country, that engages about two million workers, and it needs a cottage industry status.
Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation and Research and Development Collective (RDC) jointly organised the mega rally at Central Shaheed Minar premises in Capital on Satarday. Around 50 thousand of bidi workers were present at the rally. They came form different places of the country.
At rally, speakers also demanded punishment for the officials of British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) terming them as conspirators of the destruction of the industry.
They said, ‘The wrong decision of finance minister has pushed the bidi towards destruction. Bidi workers are leading inhuman life, so the government has to save the industry by reducing tax on it If the industry will colse over Five millions of people involved in bidi industry will sit on the road.’
They also said, British American Tobacco Company (BATC) has done simply nothing for the country, rather they have siphoned off Tk 25 crore abroad from the country, Finance Minister intends to destroy the bidi industry only. The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) should work on the BATC’s money flight and the responsible people should be brought under the punishment.
President of Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation, Amin Uddin presided over the rally while Workers’ Party General Secretary Fazle Hossain Badsha (Mp), Jatiya Shamajtantrik Dal (JSD) General Secretary , Nazmul Haque Prodhan (Mp), Awami League MP Fazlul Haque, Research and Development Collective (RDC) Chairperson Prof. dr. Meshbah kamal, General Secretary Jannat-a-Ferdousi, Federation President Abdur Rahman, General Secretary M K Bangalee, attended the rally among others. Bidi Sramik Federation organising secretary Harik hossain conducted the rally.
Speakers at a grand rally on Satarday vowed to prevent any conspiracy to close down the Bidi industry by imposing excess duties. They said, Bidi industry is one of the oldest ones in the country, that engages about two million workers, and it needs a cottage industry status.
Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation and Research and Development Collective (RDC) jointly organised the mega rally at Central Shaheed Minar premises in Capital on Satarday. Around 50 thousand of bidi workers were present at the rally. They came form different places of the country.
At rally, speakers also demanded punishment for the officials of British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) terming them as conspirators of the destruction of the industry.
They said, ‘The wrong decision of finance minister has pushed the bidi towards destruction. Bidi workers are leading inhuman life, so the government has to save the industry by reducing tax on it If the industry will colse over Five millions of people involved in bidi industry will sit on the road.’
They also said, British American Tobacco Company (BATC) has done simply nothing for the country, rather they have siphoned off Tk 25 crore abroad from the country, Finance Minister intends to destroy the bidi industry only. The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) should work on the BATC’s money flight and the responsible people should be brought under the punishment.
President of Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation, Amin Uddin presided over the rally while Workers’ Party General Secretary Fazle Hossain Badsha (Mp), Jatiya Shamajtantrik Dal (JSD) General Secretary , Nazmul Haque Prodhan (Mp), Awami League MP Fazlul Haque, Research and Development Collective (RDC) Chairperson Prof. dr. Meshbah kamal, General Secretary Jannat-a-Ferdousi, Federation President Abdur Rahman, General Secretary M K Bangalee, attended the rally among others. Bidi Sramik Federation organising secretary Harik hossain conducted the rally.
