Speakers for raising taxes on tobacco, strengthening law

Speakers at a seminar said on Wednesday said that all types of tobacco products, particularly low-price cigarettes, must be taken out of people’s purchasing power by imposing specific taxes in the upcoming national budget for FY 2023-24 to make Bangladesh tobacco-free.

They also demanded finalization of the draft amendment to the tobacco control law.

Speakers made the demand during a journalists’ workshop titled ‘Tobacco Taxes and Price Measure: Budget 2023-24’, held at the Economic Reporters' Forum auditorium in the capital.

The event was jointly organized by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and ATMA (Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance). A total of 26 journalists from print, TV, and online media attended the workshop.

Speakers said that the draft amendment to tobacco control law has already been sent to the Cabinet for approval. “The longer it takes to finalize the amendment, the higher the deaths and financial losses caused by tobacco will be.”