Private university students protesting the 7.5% VAT on tuition fees at Dhanmondi 27 intersection yesterday came under attack minutes before they were preparing to end their day-long protest.

A number of protesters told the Dhaka Tribune last night that they suspect members of Bangladesh Chhatra League made the attack because they were chanting the “Joy Bangla” slogan.

Witnesses said a group of around 25 youths swooped on the agitating students of different private universities of the area and dispersed them.

They, however, said they could not confirm that the attackers were activists of Chhatra League because they do not know any of the attackers.

Later, when the agitating students regrouped at the intersection around 9:15pm police came to the spot to disperse them.

A policeman hit a student who was briefing the media in the head and he fell to the ground unconscious. Police sent the student to hospital by a rickshaw-van.

Students of a number of private universities yesterday staged a day-long demonstration across the capital and elsewhere in the country, demanding the withdrawal of 7.5% VAT imposed on their tuition fees.

The demonstration in Dhaka started at 11am and brought city life to a grinding halt during the day-long protest.

The students said they had three demands and they would continue their protest until the demands are met.

Their demands are the withdrawal of the 7.5% VAT on private university tuition fees through an announcement by Finance Minister AMA Muhith himself; the formation of a committee to probe the firing on students and punishing those responsible; and apologies from both the finance minister and the home minister.

The finance minister has to apologise for his remarks and the home minister for ordering the firing on students, said a member of the Private University Students Alliance of Bangladesh.

Commuters were stuck in long traffic tailbacks on almost every thoroughfare of the city.

The students of North South University (NSU) and Independent University Bangladesh (IUB) blocked the main gate of Bashundhara residential area for the entire day, demanding the withdrawal of the VAT on their tuition fees.

They also protested and condemned the police firing on students on Wednesday.

About 500 students took to the streets, triggering a huge traffic gridlock in the area.

Enamul Ahmed, a student of IUB, said: “We want complete withdrawal of VAT on education. Education is not a product. So the government cannot impose VAT on education no matter whether it is paid by the students or the university authorities.”

As the protest moved on, students demonstrated with caricatures of Finance Minister AMA Muhith.

Students said education is their basic right and is the backbone of a country.

By imposing VAT on education, the finance minister is going to break the backbone of the nation, they said.

They further said students of private universities mainly come from middle-income families and by imposing VAT on tuition fees, the government wants to deprive them of tertiary education.

“We will not pay a penny as VAT,” said Shariar, a protester from the NSU.

The students repudiated a National Board of Revenue (NBR) statement that it was not the students but the university authorities that would have to pay the VAT. Protesters said neither universities nor students would pay the VAT.

They vowed not to withdraw their agitation until their demands are met.

Students from Stamford University, United International University, Asia Pacific University and State University also staged demonstrations in front of State University at Dhanmondi Road 27 from 11am to 8pm.

The demonstrators threatened a non-stop movement if the government decision to impose 7.5% VAT is not withdrawn by Saturday.

Daffodil International University students too protested the VAT imposition from 10am to 9pm at the intersection in front of Rapa Plaza on Dhanmondi Road 27.

They announced the formation of a human chain tomorrow and on Sunday. The agitating protesters also burnt an effigy of the finance minister.

East West University (EWU) students staged their day-long protest at Aftab Nagar before calling off their demonstration around 7:30pm, saying they would return to the same place today around 3pm.

The EWU students demanded punishment for those responsible for firing on students on Wednesday afternoon.

They said the statements of the NBR and the finance minister were an attempt to deceive the protesting students.

Ultimately it is the students who will have to bear the VAT payment, said a student who participated in the day-long demonstration. “The university authorities might close if they have to pay the VAT.”

Left wing student organisations voice solidarity

A few left organisations from Dhaka University also staged demonstrations on the DU campus protesting the VAT on education.

Bangladesh Chhatra Federation and Samajtantrik Chhatra Front expressed solidarity with the demands of the private university students.

They also threatened to call a strike from Sunday if the VAT is not withdrawn.

Chittagong, Rajshahi and Sylhet

Thousands of students of different private universities in Chittagong, Rajshahi and Sylhet cities also staged demonstrations yesterday, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the 7.5% VAT imposed on their tuition fees.

Student demonstrators took to the street on Chittagong city’s busy Nizam Road around 12 noon halting traffic movement on both sides of the road for an hour to voice their demands.

The road blockade caused immense suffering for commuters, reports our Chittagong University correspondent.

Nearly 1,000 students of East Delta University, BGC Trust University, Premier University, Port City University, Southern University, University of Science and Technology in Chittagong staged demonstrations in the GEC area.

Students carried placards, banners and festoons while demonstrating. They also protested the Wednesday police attack on demonstrating students of East West University in Dhaka.

At one point the agitating students sat on the road and chanted slogans demanding withdrawal of the VAT, triggering a huge tailback in the city.

BGC Trust University law student Md Shahidullah said: “We will continue with the demonstration peacefully until our demands are met.”

Khulshi and Chawkbazar police went to the scene of the demonstrations.

An hour later, the agitating students lifted their blockade and brought out a procession and paraded to the Chittagong Press Club.

Our correspondent in Rajshahi says students of Varendra University in the city held a press conference at the city’s press club yesterday afternoon. They expressed their demands and extended support to all other private university students demonstrating across the country against the 7.5% VAT on tuition fees.

Students from different private universities in Sylhet staged demonstrations from 11am in the Court Point area, reports our correspondent there.

Students from Leading University, Metropolitan University, Sylhet International University and Sylhet North University staged demonstrations and brought out processions around 12 noon from Court Point.

The procession terminated at Surma Point after parading through the main thoroughfares of the city.