Bidi workers place five-point demands

Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation called for inclusion of Bidi in cottage industries category and Five-point demand including do not increasing the duty on bidis.

They organized a human chain in front of the National Press Club premises on Monday, according to a press release.

The five points included that do not increasing the duty on bidis, increasing the working day of bidi workers, mandatory for licensed bidi factories to hoist banderols, increasing the price of low quality cigarettes and stoping the production and sale of fake bidis.

General Secretary of Bangladesh Bidi Shramik Federation Harik Hossain presided over the program while its Vice President Nazim Uddin, Anower Hossain, Joint Secretary Abdul Gofur, Abul Hasnat Lavlu, Organizing Secretary Shamim Islam addressed the human chain. Around Thousands of workers from different parts of the country joined protest.

Speakers said, ‘The conspiracy to the Bidi industry will not be tolerated in any way.
If there is any plan to increase the taxes on the Bidi in the budget for the fiscal year 2026-27, we will form a rigid movement with 18 lakh Bidi workers.’

They requested NBR chairman to do not increasing the duty on Bidi industry considering the unemployment of the helpless, disadvantaged, extremely poor, physically handicapped, widows and starvation stricken people.

Speakers also said, “Some unscrupulous bureaucrats are conspiring to increase tariffs on bidis to give foreign cigarette companies a monopoly.

Due to the increase in tariffs, unscrupulous traders are making fake bidis and marketing them to evade the tariff. The government is being deprived of huge amount of revenue.