DHAKA, Jan 12, 2025 (BSS) - Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (BJI) today demanded withdrawal of the increased value added taxes (VAT) and supplementary duties on about one hundred products.

In a statement today, BJI Secretary General and former MP Professor Mia Golam Parwar expressed his grave concern over the incumbent government’s recent decision to enhance the VAT and fresh duties on products, saying, “prices of essentials are continuously increasing.”

The Jamaat leader said the government has not been able to take effective initiatives to arrest the price spiral of necessary commodities to lessen the burden on commoners.

Noting that people are struggling to meet their household expenses at the present situation, Prof Parwar said, “The VAT hike and imposition of fresh duties on more than a hundred products has created an uncomfortable situation for the people of the country.”

Due to the imposition of duty, people’s daily living expenses would increase by one point, he added.

Besides, before increasing taxes, the government should have taken into consideration the negative impact on common people’s living conditions; but it seems that the government has not paid attention to the matter at all, BJI secretary general stated.

Prof Parwar called for immediate withdrawal of VAT and supplementary duties imposed on hundreds of products so that additional pressure is not created on the lives of common people, the statement added.