Effective tobacco tax, price measures can curb tobacco use, increase revenue: Speakers

Speakers at a virtual roundtable on Wednesday stressed the need for imposing effective tobacco tax and price measures in the 2024-25 FY.

Speakers including economists, journalists, and public health experts raised the issue during a virtual roundtable titled “Tobacco-Free Bangladesh: The Need for Strong Tobacco Tax and Price Measures”, organised by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA), according to a press release.

The existing tobacco tax structure is hardly playing any role towards achieving a tobacco-free Bangladesh, it said.

It was informed in the event that, between 2021 and 2023, the prices of essential commodities, such as sugar, potatoes, and flour have seen a hike to 90 per cent from 40 per cent.

But the prices of tobacco products increased by only 6 to 15 per cent. This is because of the faulty tobacco tax structure.

Eminent economist and convener of the National Anti-Tobacco Platform, Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said, “There is no alternative to strong tobacco tax and price measures to achieve a tobacco-free Bangladesh. We hope the government will take into account the budget proposals raised in this event.”

Dr. Mahfuz Kabir, Research Director of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), said, “Raising the retail price of every 10 sticks low-tier cigarettes to Tk 60 from Tk 45 and supplementary duty to 63 per cent from the existing 58 per cent would certainly discourage cigarette use among the youth and also raise revenue for the government.”

The implementation of the budget proposals would generate Tk 100 billion as additional revenue, they said.

Additionally, the proposals, in the long run, will also help prevent the premature deaths of 1.1 million Bangladeshis, including nearly half a million youths.

Md. Mostafizur Rahman, Bangladesh Lead Policy Advisor for Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Dr Syed Mahfuzul Huq, National Professional Officer (NCD) for WHO, Professor Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury, Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Research, National Heart Foundation, and Md. Monir Hossain Liton, Head of National, Ekattor Television. Nadira Kiron, Co-convener of ATMA, hosted the event which was also attended by Mortuza Haider Liton, Convener, ATMA, ABM Zubair, Executive Director, PROGGA, ATMA journalists and representatives from other anti-tobacco organizations were also spoke at the programme.