Dhaka: As part of their ongoing movement, students of private universities hold human chains, brought out processions and blocked roads across the country, including Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet cities, on Sunday also protesting at the imposition of Value Added Tax (VAT) on tuition fees.

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 Laboratory 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 processions in front of the gates of the universities at about 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 Laboratory 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 at about 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 Surma Point in the Sylhet city and also barricaded the road at about 10:30am demanding immediate withdrawal of VAT.  

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

In Chittagong city, several private university students took position in WASA intersection in the Chittagong city at about 10:30am.

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.

In face of mass demonstration, the government ‘clarified’ that the VAT was to be paid by respective university authorities and ‘it would not be taxed from the students’.

The students however have discarded the ‘explanation’ and threatened to wage strike for three-days, starting from Sunday, if the government does not remove the 7.5 per cent VAT.

Earlier on 4 July, the National Board of Revenue issued a notification imposing 7.5 per cent VAT on the tuition fees of the private universities and medical colleges.