Bidi workers want withdrawal of tax in Pabna

Dhaka, Bangladesh || Thursday, 25 April 2024 || 12 Boishakh 1431

HEADLINE:

Kazi Zarzees bin Ertaza steps to 21 today Bashundhara MD honoured with ‘TRAB Smart Performance Award’ Today 20th death anniversary of Shahidur Rahman, the bright star of Judiciary President appoints Sheikh Hasina as Prime Minister First woman barrister on Board of Directors of Gulshan Club Bangladesh Army and Canadian University of Bangladesh Sign Memorandum of Understanding DNCC, Borak Real Estate sign deal, Sheraton goes into full swing

From pandemic to Padma bridge: Will the anti-Hasina brigade ever learn?

The anti-Sheikh Hasina brigade has been paid back fair

No one remembers the bravery of Badruzzamanan in '71

Badruzzaman Badrul, the expatriate son of a brave martyr

'Minar-e Kabir', the highest Islamic Monument in Jhalokati

Minar-e Kabir is a minaret located in Sugandia village

Bashundhara Group gets ‘Best Brand’ recognition

Bashundhara Group, the country’s largest business conglomerate, has been

http://www.dailyvorerpata.com/ad/72890.jpg

Bidi workers want withdrawal of tax in Pabna

Peoples Time Desk

Published : Saturday, 2 April, 2022 at 7:57 PM, Count : 2101

Bidi workers want withdrawal of tax in Pabna

Pabna Zila Bidi Mojdur Union on Saturday staged demonstration in the district town demanding to protect the bidi industry from the aggression of foreign multinational companies and to reduce tariffs on bidis in the budget for the next 2022-23 fiscal year.

Around Thousand workers under the bannnee of Pabna Zila Bidi Mojdur Union demonstrated in front of Pabna Town Hall Field premises around 11:00am to press home their demands.

Their demands are reduction of tariff on bidis in the forthcoming budget, withdrawal of 10 percent income tax on bidis, didi workers have to be paid fair wages, enactment of protection law for bidi workers, ban on issuance of bidi factory licenses without on-site inspection and legal action against counterfeiters.

The labor leaders, later, handed over a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the Deputy Commissioner of Pabna.

Harik Hossain, joint-secretary of Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation, presided over the demonstration.

Reserved Member of Parliament Nadira Yasmin Joly was present as the chief guest while Pabna Sodor Upazila Porishod Chairman Mossarraf Hossain, Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation Acting President Amin Uddin (BSc), Nazim Uddin, Shamim Islam and among others were present as special guests. Abdur Rahman, General Secretary of Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation spoke as the keynote speaker.

Addressing the demo, the speakers said, “Millions of workers including the helpless, disadvantaged, extremely poor, physically handicapped and widows make a living by working in the bidi sector. But the country's ancient labor-intensive industry is being destroyed by the conspiracy of foreign multinational companies.

Multinational companies were smuggling thousands of crores of rupees abroad by burning the lungs of the people of this country. Some corrupt local officials are taking advantage of foreign multinational companies and imposing excessive taxes on bidis. Bidi owners are being forced to close their factories as they cannot bear the burden of this exorbitant tax, they said

As a result, the workers are living a dehumanized life. Besides, advance income tax on cigarettes is 3 percent and advance income tax on bidis is 10 percent. We want to repeal this discriminatory advance income tax.

“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. It is even creating confusion in the minds of the people by hiding the real number of bidi workers to destroy the bidi industry and workers. We strongly condemn and protest against this, the speakers said.

If there is a conspiracy against the bidi workers, we will be forced to go for a tough movement, they added.

« Previous