Staff Reporter :The agitating students of private universities have called for non-stop strike at all the private universities and medical colleges from today (Sunday) demanding withdrawal of 7.5 per cent VAT on their tuition fees. The aggrieved students gave the strike call from the different platforms on Friday. They also termed the government’s assurance a ‘trick’ that the students would not bear the VAT, but the universities would pay it. Salauddin Mithu, a student of East West University, in a press briefing in the capital’s Aftab Nagar said that they would observe strike if their demand was not met. He warned of tougher movement to press home their demand. “The government is now telling that the university authority, and not the students, will have to pay the VAT on tuition fees. We are rejecting the government’s proposal with due respect,” Mithu said.”We will continue the movement until all sorts of VAT on education are withdrawn,” he said.He blamed the police for launching an attack on them and demanded punishment for the attackers.Meanwhile, the students of some private universities under the banner of ‘No VAT on Education’ a platform of students, called a 3-day strike from today to press home their demand. The press conference was held on the Stamford University’s Dhanmondi campus.Jotirmoy Chakrabarti, one of the coordinators of ‘No VAT on Education’ platform, said, “We would observe the strike to press home our demand for immediate withdrawal of VAT on tuition fees. We also demand for formulation of a policy on tuition fees through University Grants Commission (UGC) considering socio-economic condition of the country.”The strike would be observed at all private universities, medical and engineering colleges across the country, he said. Jotirmoy said, “The explanations of the government and the NBR are tricky. Education is basic rights. We do not want any VAT on it”.Although it is said that the authority would pay VAT, ultimately the students will have to bear it as the university authority would collect it in the guise of service charge from the students, Jotirmoy feared.He also condemned the attack by the pro-government group in the capital’s Dhanmondi area on Thursday night.
