A group of private university students on Wednesday protested at a 15 per cent income tax on private universities demanding immediate withdrawal of the tax.
They said that the imposition of the tax would increase the cost of education, deepen financial hardship for students, and threaten the education of thousands of students.
Students made the remarks and raised the demand at a human chain, formed under the platform of Private University Student Network, in the capital鈥檚 Shahbagh.
At the human chain, Tagore University of Creative Arts student Tarmin Tisa said that education was a constitutional right and the tax on education would not be accepted.
She said that education was not a commercial product and the tax on it must be withdrawn immediately.
Referring to the Appellate Division鈥檚 verdict upholding the imposition of 15 per cent tax in 2024, University of Information Technology and Sciences student Muhammad Ibrahim said that the tax imposition on non-profitable institutions was illogical.
Ibrahim said that private university students would take to the streets again if the tax was not withdrawn immediately.
Bangladesh Students鈥� Union private university unit assistant general secretary Abdullah Al Nishat said that not only students from financially solvent families studied in private universities but also many students from middle and lower-income families studied there.
鈥楾he government must not impose any tax on education and increase the cost for education,鈥� Nishat said, adding that the government must hold the private universities accountable for doing business despite being non-profit but tax on it is unacceptable.
Socialist Students鈥� Front private university unit organiser Nabin Abtahi raised a four-point demand, including withdrawal of the imposed 15 per cent tax, investigation into allegations as to how non-profit private universities are making profit and seizing the illegal income, reducing the tuition fees and formulation of an uniform policy for tuition fees in private universities.
Students of East West University and BRAC University, among others, also were present at the human chain.
