The 2015 Bangladesh student protests on "No VAT on Education" were protests by students of private

universities in Bangladesh Universities in Bangladesh represent about 150 academic bodies of the conventional higher education institution (HEI) in Bangladesh. Segmented by management and financial structure, these include 43 public universities, 103 private universitie ...

demanding the VAT imposed on higher education in private universities be eliminated. The present Finance Minister of the

Bangladesh Awami League Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

government first introduced a 10%

VAT A value-added tax (VAT), known in some countries as a goods and services tax (GST), is a type of tax that is assessed incrementally. It is levied on the price of a product or service at each stage of production, distribution, or sale to the en ...

upon higher education in

private universities Private universities and private colleges are institutions of higher education, not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. They may (and often do) receive from governments tax breaks, public student loans, and grants. Depe ...

in the draft of budget of 2015–16. Following strong opposition, the VAT was reduced to 7.5%. The imposed VAT was withdrawn by the finance division after a cabinet meeting on 14 September 2015.

History

Previous government tried to impose similar VAT on private university tuition fee in 2010, but had to revoke their decision as students protested strongly.

Protests

Private university students in Dhaka protest VAT on tuition fees

On 22 June, law enforcement authorities foiled a procession of private university students heading for the finance ministry building to press home their demands. At the start of August 2015 the government announced they would not withdraw the VAT and that students must pay it. The news sparked outrage among students. On 9 September, police opened fire on a protest by the students of

East West University East West University ( bn, ইস্ট ওয়েস্ট বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, also known as EWU), is a private university located in Aftabnagar, Dhaka of Bangladesh. It was established in 1996 under the Private Uni ...

. This caused outrage and immediate support for the cause by thousands of other students from different universities. On 10 September, road blockades were carried out by students from different private universities to protest the VAT on tuition fees. The protest was sparked by controversial statements by the minister of finance,

Abul Maal Abdul Muhith Abul Maal Abdul Muhith (25 January 1934 – 30 April 2022) was a Bangladeshi economist, writer, civil servant, secretary, diplomat and politician. He served as the Finance Minister of the government of Bangladesh from January 2009 until January ...

but he stood firm on the decision for the VAT to stay. The government also issued a circular stating the VAT was only imposed on the private university authorities and the students need not pay.

Incidents

There were two notable incident. First one happened at Dhanmondi 27, private universities students were attacked two times in a row and the second one happened at Banani-Kakoli Square on 14 SEptember.

Result

On 14 September 2015 at a regular cabinet meeting directed by prime minister

Sheikh Hasina Sheikh Hasina Wazed (''née'' Sheikh Hasina ; ; bn, শেখ হাসিনা ওয়াজেদ, Shēkh Hasinā, , born 28 September 1947) is a Bangladeshi politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh since January 2 ...

, the Finance division decided to withdraw the VAT imposed on tuition fees.

Gallery

File:Private university students in Dhaka protest VAT on tuition fees (07).jpg, Students in Badda, Dhaka protest VAT on tuition fees File:Private university students in Dhaka protest VAT on tuition fees (03).jpg, Students in Uttara, Dhaka protest VAT on tuition fees File:Bangladesh private University students protests against the imposition of vat.JPG, Students protests against the imposition of vat in their tuition fees by upholding the placard in front of Army vehicle. File:Private university students in Dhaka protest VAT on tuition fees (11).jpg, Students in Bashundhara Gate, Dhaka protest VAT on tuition fees File:Student protesting against VAT in Banani-Kakoli Square, Dhaka.jpg, Students in Banani-Kakoli Square, Dhaka protest VAT on tuition fees File:Traffic jam during Private university students in Dhaka protest VAT on tuition fees.jpg, Traffic jam during a protest by private university students in Dhaka against the VAT on tuition fees

References