Prominent people including doctors, economists and members of parliament have called for withdrawal of VAT on meditation from the proposed current budget.

They called for taking meditation as a mental health service and making it completely VAT free.

There is usually no VAT or tax on it, he said, adding, it needs to be reviewed administratively and logically.

Poet Ashish Saha said that meditation has health benefits and also develops thinking and consciousness. “So no VAT should be imposed on meditation.”

Founder Chairman of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Department of Palliative Medicine, Prof. Dr. Nizam Uddin Ahmed said that those who meditate regularly have a profound change in their mentality and attitude. Their hearts were filled with compassion and empathy, he said.

This empathy is very important not only for one's family members and relatives, but also for strangers, he said.