Demands have been made to increase the prices of all types of tobacco products. Can be implemented in the 2024-25 fiscal year budget through taxation. This claim has been made by National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh and Platform Doctors Foundation.
This demand was announced in a press conference at the National Press Club on Thursday (April 25).
It was informed in the press conference that about 1 lakh 61 thousand people die every year due to diseases related to tobacco use. In the fiscal year 2017-18, the economic loss of tobacco use is Tk 30,560 crore, which is much higher than the revenue earned from the tobacco sector (Tk 22,810 crore) during the same period.
It has been proven in Bangladesh like other countries of the world that when the price of tobacco products increases, its consumption decreases. In this situation, the price of 10 packets of low level cigarettes is 60 taka; 80 taka per 10 shalaka packets for middle class; It is demanded to levy the price of 130 rupees per 10 shalaka packet of high class cigarettes and 170 rupees per 10 shalaka packet of premium level cigarettes.
The two organizations also said that if the tobacco tax proposed in the upcoming budget is implemented, the consumption of cigarettes in the country will decrease from 15.1 percent to 13.80 percent. At the same time it will be possible to prevent premature death of 540 thousand 656 young people. In addition, about 47 thousand crores of revenue will be generated; Which is 28 percent more than the previous year.
Apan Desh/SMA
Tags: Demand increase price cigarettes
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