Everyone is eager to cut people's pockets
Photo: Barta24
A few days ago, the price of electricity increased by executive order. Even though there is an organization called 'Energy Regulatory Commission' to recommend price increase after hearing with the stakeholders, another new news on Thursday has made the people worried again in the midst of public dissatisfaction with the decision to increase the price by bypassing it. According to reports, 15 percent tax is being levied on metro rail fares that bring a new level of connectivity to the citizens to ease traffic congestion in the capital.
The National Board of Revenue has written to DMTCL, the metro rail operator, stating that VAT will be levied from the first day of the next financial year (July 1). Ever since the news hit the media, social media has drawn countless reactions from the general public, especially working people—who commute on the metro rail every day. Most of the critics of this decision say that the gist of it is more or less the same, 'everyone is eager to cut the pockets of the poor people'.
Needless to say, the metro rail brings a new hope to the traffic-congested city of Dhaka. Especially for the working people, this metro rail is considered to be a great boon. However, in the beginning, the passengers complained that the fares of Dhaka Metro Rail were set higher. Although the fare of Tk. 100 per person from Uttara Station to Motijheel may not seem excessive to many, those with low incomes describe it as several times more than the usual.
Citing the example of the neighboring country India, they said that Kolkata in West Bengal has the opportunity to travel from one end of the city to the other end for less than 50 rupees. Common passengers argue that, on the one hand, a large amount of fuel is being saved due to the reduction of traffic congestion, as well as the working hours are also increasing; which is affecting the national growth. In such a reality, they called the decision to impose 15 percent value added tax on Metrorail fares as a new fund to cut the pockets of the poor, and questioned, "Is Metrorail a product?" Why should a new communication medium that provides services be brought under the ambit?'
Most of the people voicing their views on social media platforms are young people, many of whom have completed formal education and are looking for jobs or have joined new jobs. According to them, the government or the related institutions are very eager to continue the sword of price increase on the people without reducing the system losses, without reining in the unlimited corruption and looting of the employees and officials.
NBR highlighted the rationale behind the Metrorail project and said, "According to Vision 2041, various development activities are underway in the country with the goal of becoming a developed country." That is why the government has to constantly provide money, which is mainly collected through direct and indirect taxes. From time to time, tax exemptions are given in various fields with the aim of development of domestic industries, increase in production capacity of import substitute products, development of small and cottage industries etc. In addition to continuing the provision of funds for the huge development activities, the exemptions provided are being gradually withdrawn taking into account the capacity of various sectors in order to increase the country's LDC transition and the tax-GDP ratio to the desired level.
The day after getting the news about tax on metro rail fares, Obaidul Quader, Minister of Road Transport and Bridges of the government, while facing the media, said that the government is not aware of the issue of setting VAT. Naturally, our question arises, who runs the government? What is the National Board of Revenue but an external part of the government? When the responsible minister of the government and the general secretary of the ruling party say such things, what message is sent to the people? It says that the ministers of the government but mock with the people?
We know the helplessness of low-income people due to the unlimited increase in commodity prices! The news of buying cut and leftover fish instead of fish in Kawran Bazar has recently come in the media! People with low income are not able to meet the expenses even by making calculations. Unable to meet the needs of their beloved child, helpless parents are silently shedding tears. There is no opportunity to hide the image of this socio-economic crisis.
A few days ago we celebrated the great Independence Day in a grand ceremony. On this Independence Day, we have heard the voice of many writers-intellectuals resounding, that the dream of the homeland for which the great liberation war of Bangladesh was fought in 1971 under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is still elusive. Economists have also raised the question that why should a class that has amassed wealth with its huge undisclosed income bear the same tax burden as the general public? If there is disparity in wealth, this disparity in taxation should also apply.
Our progress in infrastructure or various indicators may be enviable but the state could not ensure the protection of the basic human rights of common people. That is why the economic inequality in the society has increased to an extreme. The initiative of the state to reduce this inequality is little visible, rather everyone is eager to absorb the blood of the anemic body. The decision to tax metro rail fares in Dhaka and the tendency of the government ministers to play hide and seek on the matter seem to match that reality.
