(3 hours ago) Thursday, April 25, 2024, 6:06 pm
3 crore 78 lakh (35.3 percent) people consume tobacco in the country. Besides, about 1.5 lakh people are affected by various diseases related to tobacco and the expenditure of the government on the treatment of these diseases is much higher than the revenue received from the related sector. Therefore, the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh and Platform Doctors Foundation have demanded an increase in the price of all types of tobacco products in the budget of the upcoming fiscal year 2024-2025.
This demand was made at a press conference titled ‘Demand for increase in tobacco tax in the upcoming 2024-25 fiscal year budget to build a tobacco-free Bangladesh declared by the Honorable Prime Minister’ held at Jahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall on Thursday.
According to the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh and Platform Doctors Foundation, about 161,000 people die every year due to diseases related to tobacco use. In the financial year 2017-18, the economic loss of tobacco use is Tk 30 thousand 560 crore, while the revenue earned from tobacco products (Tk 22 thousand 810 crore) during the same period is much higher.
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; Middle level price per 10 shalaka packets is 80 taka; 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 their proposed tobacco tax is implemented in the upcoming budget, 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.
Sirajganj-1 Constituency Member of Parliament Tanveer Shakeel Joy, chief guest of the press conference, said that to protect the country from the harm of tobacco, the Prime Minister has expressed his firm conviction to completely eradicate tobacco use from Bangladesh by 2040. Members of Parliament are working to build a tobacco-free Bangladesh promised by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
He also said that the price of harmful products like tobacco in our country is cheaper than other countries due to lack of effective tax structure. As a result, common people are consuming tobacco easily and are suffering from various deadly diseases. Therefore, the complex taxation system (tiered) of tobacco products like cigarettes should be canceled and specific taxation system should be implemented; So that the price of all types of tobacco products increases and is taken out of the purchasing power of the general public.
President of the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh Professor Khandkar Abdul Awal Rizvi said that 18 percent of citizens aged 15 and above smoke in the country.
Around 38.4 million adults are exposed to secondhand smoke every day in various public places including the workplace. To protect this large population from the harmful effects of tobacco, the price of all types of tobacco products should be increased. Because one globally accepted approach to reducing tobacco use is effective taxation. If our proposal is accepted and effective taxation is imposed, the government’s revenue will increase by Tk 10 thousand crores; Which is 28 percent more than last year.
Associate Professor of Health Economics Institute of Dhaka University was also present at the event. Dr. Shafiun Nahin Shimul, National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute’s Head of Pathology and Research Department. Sohel Reza Chowdhury, President of Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum Rashed Bappi and representatives of various anti-tobacco organizations and media workers.
