A Correspondent :
The existence of the country’s bidi workers have been facing threat , said Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Home Affairs, Tipu Munshi on Wednesday.
Tipu Munshi was addressing a rally as Chief Guest, organised by Bangladesh Bidi Workers Federation at Rangpur Town Hall, Rangpur city.
Tipu Munshi said now it raises question that whether the bidi workers will be able to survive or not in future.
“There have 6 lakhs of bidi workers in Rangpur, I requested the government more than 10 times in the parliament for the last 9 years to not to increase tax on bidi, but Finance Minister increase tax on bidi industry every year, I think the reason behind this is that there have no bidi workers in his region so he has no feeling about them, but have to live with bidi workers and I have to look after their interest”, Munshi added. Pointing to Finance Minister, Tipu Munshi categorically said that existence of Cigarette will not be tolerated by shutting down bidi industry, if there have cigarette then bidi must exist.
President of Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation, Amin Uddin presided over the rally while Professor of the Department of History of the University of Dhaka, Professor Mejbah Kamal, General Secretary of Research and Development Collective (RDC), Jannatul Ferdousi, General Secretary of the Federation, M K Bangalee, Joint Secretary, Abdur Rahman, Organising Secretary, Harik Hossain, Organising Secretary of Rangpur Awami League, Md. Tuhin, Members of the federation, Shamim Hossain, Abul Hasnat Lavlu attended the rally among others.
While addressing Mejbah Kamal 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”, he added.
The existence of the country’s bidi workers have been facing threat , said Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Home Affairs, Tipu Munshi on Wednesday.
Tipu Munshi was addressing a rally as Chief Guest, organised by Bangladesh Bidi Workers Federation at Rangpur Town Hall, Rangpur city.
Tipu Munshi said now it raises question that whether the bidi workers will be able to survive or not in future.
“There have 6 lakhs of bidi workers in Rangpur, I requested the government more than 10 times in the parliament for the last 9 years to not to increase tax on bidi, but Finance Minister increase tax on bidi industry every year, I think the reason behind this is that there have no bidi workers in his region so he has no feeling about them, but have to live with bidi workers and I have to look after their interest”, Munshi added. Pointing to Finance Minister, Tipu Munshi categorically said that existence of Cigarette will not be tolerated by shutting down bidi industry, if there have cigarette then bidi must exist.
President of Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation, Amin Uddin presided over the rally while Professor of the Department of History of the University of Dhaka, Professor Mejbah Kamal, General Secretary of Research and Development Collective (RDC), Jannatul Ferdousi, General Secretary of the Federation, M K Bangalee, Joint Secretary, Abdur Rahman, Organising Secretary, Harik Hossain, Organising Secretary of Rangpur Awami League, Md. Tuhin, Members of the federation, Shamim Hossain, Abul Hasnat Lavlu attended the rally among others.
While addressing Mejbah Kamal 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”, he added.
Jannatul Ferdousi 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.
She mentioned the Prime Minister advised Finance Minister to reduce tax on bidi industry but he never evaluate it, the Anti- Corruption Commission (ACC) should work on the BATC’s money flight and the responsible people should be brought under the punishment.
