PRESS RELEASE: Khulna District Bidi Workers’ Union and Employees’ Unity Parishad on Thursday laid siege to the divisional Customs, Excise and VAT office to press home their six demands, including the prohibition of counterfeit bidis.
About thousands of bidi workers gathered in front of Khulna Customs, Excise and VAT Office and staged demonstration there in the morning.
Their six points demands include stopping revenue evasion on all bidis, stopping issuing licenses without verification (online), reducing the duty on bidi and increasing the wages of workers, eliminating 10 per cent income tax on bidis, increasing the price of cigarettes to sustain the bidi industry and workers,prohibiting the issuance of bidi factory licences without site inspection and taking legal action against counterfeiters.
Addressing the human chain, the speakers said that millions of workers, including helpless, disadvantaged, ultra-poor, physically challenged and widows, make a living by working in the bidi-making industry. But the country’s ancient labour-intensive industry is being destroyed by the conspiracy of foreign multinational companies.
Multinational companies are smuggling Tk thousands of crore abroad by burning the lungs of the country’s people. Some corrupt local officials are also taking advantage of the foreign multinational companies and imposing excessive taxes on bidis, they said, adding that bidi-making industry owners are being forced to close their factories as they cannot bear the burden of the exorbitant tax.
They also urged the customs authorities to take necessary steps to halt unlawful bidi manufacturers and counterfeit bidis.
Among others, Bangladesh Bidi Workers Federation general-secretary Abdur Rahman, joint-secretary Harik Hossain, Anower Hossain spoke at the programme. #
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