Leaders of the Communist Party of Bangladesh and Socialist Party of Bangladesh on Monday at separate rallies in Dhaka called on the interim government to refrain from imposing increased value-added tax and supplementary duty on more than 100 commodities.
The Socialist Party of Bangladesh also demanded next general elections within 2025 after executing required reforms.
Imposing higher VAT and SD on the commodities would increase prices of the items, which would raise sufferings of the common people, the left party leaders said.
The Communist Party of Bangladesh and the Socialist Party of Bangladesh organised the rallies in front of the National Press Club, protesting against the interim government鈥檚 decision on imposing higher VAT and SD on more than 100 commodities, stopping Trading Corporation of Bangladesh truck sales of essential commodities and cancellation of 43 lakh TCB family cards.
CPB general secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince called on the interim government to refrain from imposing increased VAT and SD as the higher taxes would increase sufferings of the common people.
鈥榃e would wage greater movements if the interim government does not refrain from imposing VAT on essential commodities,鈥� Prince said.
Chaired by party presidium member Shahin Rahman, assistant general secretary Mihir Ghosh, Dhaka City leaders Joly Talukder and Luna Noor also spoke at the rally.
The rally was followed by a procession that paraded different city roads.
Socialist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Bazlur Rashid Firoz called on the interim government to hold next general elections within the current year after executing required reforms.
Imposing higher VAT and SD on more than 100 commodities and cancellation of 43 lakh TCB family cards would increase sufferings of the common people to run their families with fixed incomes, Firoz said.
Chaired by party鈥檚 Dhaka City in charge Nikhil Das, central leaders Khalequzzaman Lipon and Nasiruddin Prince also spoke at the rally.
The rally was followed by a procession.
