NBR chief against hiking tobacco product prices

The chairman of the National Board of Revenue has opposed raising prices of tobacco products, arguing that it hits revenue collection.

Speaking at a pre-budget meeting with Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) at NBR auditorium in the capital, Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem said tobacco companies and retailers were benefited when prices went up.

“Forget about raising prices. It won’t be enough to safeguard public health. We have to find alternative ways and raise social awareness,” he said.

Presenting proposals at the meeting, budget proposals for FY 2022-23 are - Introducing a tiered specific excise (SD) with uniform tax burden (excise share of 65 per cent of final retail price) across all cigarette brands; imposing SD with uniform tax burden (excise share of 45 per cent of final retail price) across all bidi brands (filtered and non-filtered); increasing prices of smokeless tobacco products by imposing SD; and retaining the existing 15 per cent VAT and 1 per cent Health Development Surcharge on all tobacco products.

ATMA representatives, including Shahnaz Munni, Chief News Editor, News24; Monir Hossain Liton, Joint Chief News Editor, Ekattor Television; Mortuza Haider Liton, Chief Crimes Correspondent, bdnews24.com and convenor, ATMA; Nadira Kiron, News Editor, ATN Bangla and co-convener, ATMA; and Mizan Chowdhury, Senior Reporter, Daily Jugantor and co-convener, ATMA.

They urged NBR to increase tobacco prices to achieve a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040. They said implementing their proposal would encourage 1.3 million people to quit smoking, save the lives of more than 4,45,000 current adults and nearly 4,48,000 youth from premature deaths and earn Tk 9,200 crore in revenues for the government.