Keep Private Universities out of Tax

Abstract

The article "Keep Private Universities out of Tax" by M. Azizur Rahman argues against imposing taxes on private universities in Bangladesh, emphasizing their non-profit educational mission and societal contributions. The author asserts that taxing these institutions would indirectly burden students through increased tuition fees, hinder research and development, and contradict global practices where educational entities are typically tax-exempt. Highlighting the Private University Act of 1992 (and its 1998 amendment), which lacks provisions for income or corporate taxes on such institutions, the article deems taxation illegal and counterproductive. Private universities reinvest surplus funds into infrastructure, faculty salaries, and academic resources rather than distributing profits, aligning them with exempted institutions like medical and engineering colleges. The piece urges the government to withdraw taxes on fixed deposit receipts of private universities to sustain their growth and avoid undermining higher education expansion.