Economic Reporter :
The speakers of a round table titled ‘The Life of Bidi Workers: Government’s Promise’ on Monday call on not to conspiracy in the upcoming budget for the Bidi industry.
They also said in the meeting that despite the directive of the Prime Minister, a special group was trying to destroy the bidi industry repeatedly.
Research and Development Collective (RDC) organized the round table discussion at a city auditorium.
Professor of history in University of Dhaka and chairperson of the RDC, Mesbah Kamal said that despite the prime minister’s position in the budget last year, the conspiracy has been conspired against Bidi. The budget is coming again in front. Since January, the budget has started. And when the budget came, the bidi workers’ cheeks shake. This lower and lower middle income people are worried. In the last budget, the increase in the amount of budget for the `kabikha’ or the poor in different sectors, it is still not enough.
Again, we are worried about the upcoming budget of the Finance Minister and NBR chairman. And the meeting was organized from that fear. More than 80 percent of the workers involved in this industry are women. Their families are dependent on this industry, he added.
Panchagarh-1 MP Nazmul Haque Pradhan said, the finance minister’s announcement was very surprised by me. He said in Parliament that the bidi industry will be closed within two years. Why did he not say that the tobacco industry will be closed? If he claim this, we can also claim that in the next three years, British American Tobacco will be expelled from Bangladesh. Your claim is justified. Our Prime Minister is quite human. She will definitely take action.
Calling for protection of the Bidi industry, MP Poet Kazi Rozi, a member of Parliamentary Caucus on indigenous affairs, said, `Flute tunes on bamboo leaf, dancing tunes on tobacco pages.
The speakers of a round table titled ‘The Life of Bidi Workers: Government’s Promise’ on Monday call on not to conspiracy in the upcoming budget for the Bidi industry.
They also said in the meeting that despite the directive of the Prime Minister, a special group was trying to destroy the bidi industry repeatedly.
Research and Development Collective (RDC) organized the round table discussion at a city auditorium.
Professor of history in University of Dhaka and chairperson of the RDC, Mesbah Kamal said that despite the prime minister’s position in the budget last year, the conspiracy has been conspired against Bidi. The budget is coming again in front. Since January, the budget has started. And when the budget came, the bidi workers’ cheeks shake. This lower and lower middle income people are worried. In the last budget, the increase in the amount of budget for the `kabikha’ or the poor in different sectors, it is still not enough.
Again, we are worried about the upcoming budget of the Finance Minister and NBR chairman. And the meeting was organized from that fear. More than 80 percent of the workers involved in this industry are women. Their families are dependent on this industry, he added.
Panchagarh-1 MP Nazmul Haque Pradhan said, the finance minister’s announcement was very surprised by me. He said in Parliament that the bidi industry will be closed within two years. Why did he not say that the tobacco industry will be closed? If he claim this, we can also claim that in the next three years, British American Tobacco will be expelled from Bangladesh. Your claim is justified. Our Prime Minister is quite human. She will definitely take action.
Calling for protection of the Bidi industry, MP Poet Kazi Rozi, a member of Parliamentary Caucus on indigenous affairs, said, `Flute tunes on bamboo leaf, dancing tunes on tobacco pages.
