Tax on meditation!
The budget for the fiscal year 2016-17 has proposed tax on meditation courses which is not only illogical but also an immoral decision. Meditation is a self-development programme and is treated as alternative healthcare technique in the western world. By learning meditation techniques, people can get rid of psychosomatic diseases. The government’s guidelines for hypertension titled “National guidelines for management of hypertension in Bangladesh” encourages people to do meditation to curb hypertension. In our country, more and more people are learning meditation for their physical, mental and spiritual development. People who practice meditation, yoga and relaxation techniques, are less dependent on doctors and hospitals and need to spend less on healthcare.
We hope that the government will realise the importance of meditation and withdraw the imposition of tax on that so people can avail that chance to get peace and develop themselves physically, mentally and spiritually at affordable costs.
Mohammad Zonaed Emran
Banasree, Rampura, Dhaka
