Bidi Sramik Sangram Parishad (BSSP) on Wednesday organized a human chain to demand withdrawal of advance income tax and steps against fake bidi production to secure their jobs.
The leaders of BSSP claimed withdrawal of 10 percent advance income tax on bidi, which they said threatens the industry. Additional tax imposed on the local Bidi industry is nothing but a conspiracy of multinational companies to destroy the sector, they said.
The demand came up from a human chain organized by the BSSP in front of Khulna Press Club at around 11am on Wednesday.
MK Bangali, president of Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation, Anower Hossain, Vice President, Abdur Rahman, Secretary, Harik Hossain, joint secretary, Shamim Islam, publicity secretary of the federation, Khulna regional Sramik leader Azad, among othere, were spoke in the function.
The speakers said, “Foreign multinational companies are smuggling money abroad by burning the lungs of the people of this country. But the domestic bidi industry is being destroyed conspiratorially.
The speakers threatened to intensify the movement if the conspiracy against the local bidi industry does not stop.
They said many workers from Khulna and its surrounding areas depend for livelihood by working in bidi factories. In the labor-intensive bidi industry of the country, the helpless and the poor work for their livelihood.
After independence, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared bidi industry duty free considering the interests of common people and helpless workers of this country. Labor-friendly Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the budget for the fiscal 2009-2010 directed to reduce the duty on bidis and increase the duty on cigarettes, they said.
Losing their jobs, the Bidi factory workers are struggling for their livelihood, the labor leaders said.
Source: United News of Bangladesh