Students’ anti-VAT demo triggers fresh traffic chaos

Students of the private universities as part of their ongoing movement brought out processions and blocked roads across the country, including Dhaka and Sylhet cities, on Sunday also protesting the imposition of Value Added Tax (VAT) on tuition fees, reports UNB.

In Dhaka city, movement of vehicles on the roads in Uttara area from Abdullahpur, Dhanmondi-Mirpur road and Kuril Biswa Road up to Malibagh, Farmgate to Karwan Bazar, City College intersection to Sat Rasta intersection, Panthapath to Science Lab intersection and Gulshan to Mohakhali road have already come to a standstill, slowing down the overall city traffic, police said.

In Dhanmondi area, students of Daffodil University and Bangladesh University brought out separate possessions from in front of the gates of the universities around 10:30am and staged demonstration blocking Mirpur road.

Vehicular movement on the Manik Mia Avenue and Mirpur road up to City College intersection came to a halt following the blockade.

Several hundred students of University of Development Alternative (UDA), Stamford University and State University took position from City College intersection to Sat Rasta intersection from 10:30am and blocked the road.

In Panthapath area, students of Dhaka International University, Atish Dipankar University, World University and Victoria University blocked the road from Farmgate to Science Lab intersection.

In Gulshan area, students of Presidency University took position in the roundabout that created huge traffic jam on the Gulshan-Mohakhali road.

In Rampura area, at about 10am, students of East West University brought a procession from in front of the university at Aftabnagar and barricaded the Rampura-Badda road.

They chanted slogans demanding withdrawal of VAT.

In Uttara, students of several private universities took to the streets in Uttara near Azampur around 10:30am, disrupting traffic on both sides of the Airport-Tongi road.

Chase and counter-chase took place between police and students as police tried to obstruct them.

In Sylhet city, students of Leading University staged demonstration in Purbo Bandarbazar area and barricaded the road around 10:30am demanding immediate withdrawal of VAT.

At the same time, students of seven other private universities brought out processions in the city.

Earlier on July 4, the NBR issued a notification imposing 7.5 percent VAT on the tuition fees of the private universities and medical colleges.

Meanwhile, Biplob Kumar Sarker, deputy commissioner (Tejgaon division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said the students will be moved from the streets not by force but through amicable discussion.