Bidi workers form human chain at NBR HQs demanding less tax

Numbers of leaders and workers of bidi industry formed a human chain in front of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Headquarters in the city’s Segun Bagicha on Monday demanding reconsider of tax hike in the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2020-2021.
The protesters organized the event under the banner of Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation (BBSF) apart from the pre announced consecutive programs following tax hike in the proposed budget.
They also submitted a memorandum with five point demands to the Chairman of the NBR to reduce tax on bidi to run the industry smoothly considering the lives and livelihoods of thousands of workers in the industry.
The BBSF central president MK Bangali said, “If the government will not withdraw the proposal of tax hike on bidi, we will organize tough program to compel the authority to reduce the tax.”
He alleged that a vested quarters of govt officials has hike the tax on bidi more than low quality cigarette that may consider the conspiracy against the bidi industry.
BBSF General Secretary Abdur Rahman claimed that the tax hike on bidi is violation of the idealism of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhub Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as he declared tax free production and trading of ‘Tala Bidi’ in Gopalganj to lead lives of million of bidi workers.