Discussants at a workshop on Tuesday said as cigarette prices did not increase in alignment with the rate of inflation, this harmful product had been becoming increasingly affordable in Bangladesh.
While average increase in the Consumer Price Index value over the past five fiscal years was 32 per cent, prices of different tier cigarettes had been increased by only 6 to 22 per cent, they mentioned at the workshop titled 鈥榃orkshop on Cigarette Taxation with Media Professionals鈥� organised by Unnayan Shamannay at the Biswho Shahitta Kendro building in Dhaka, says a press release.
They added that Bangladesh was failing to reduce smoking prevalence as desired and, therefore, in the budget for the next fiscal year (i.e., 2025-26), price increases of all tier cigarettes must be higher than the average rate of inflation.
Representatives from 21 media houses participated in the workshop, while globally acclaimed mass-media professional Kamal Ahmed was present at the event as guest of honour.
Unnayan Shamannay鈥檚 Research Director Abdullah Nadvi presented the concept note, where he pointed out that cigarette prices were not being raised adequately and effective taxes were not being imposed on these harmful products.
Consequently, on the one hand- smoking prevalence was not coming down as required, and on the other hand- government was not getting due taxes from cigarette selling.
He further added that between 2019-20 and 2023-24, the government could have earned additional Tk 66 billion per year in taxes if it had imposed effective taxes on cigarettes.
Responding to a query from the participants, Kamal Ahmed said that significantly increasing cigarette prices to reduce affordability was among the most effective measures to reduce smoking prevalence. This had been proven in many countries across the globe.
He added that Bangladesh must also go for significantly increasing cigarette prices and imposing effective taxes on those raised prices.
He also urged the media professionals to highlight the need for effective cigarette taxation in the National Budget for the upcoming fiscal year (i.e., 2025-26).
Representatives from the Daily Star, Daily Sun, the Asian Age, the Financial Express, the Business Standard, the 抖阴精品, Protidiner Bangladesh, Kalbela, Itttefaq, Jago News, Amader Shomoy, Bangla Vision, News 24, ATN Bangla, Ekhon TV, Shomoy TV, Views Bangla, Dhaka Mail, Bhorer Kagoj, Shomoy Journal, and Ganomukti participated in the event.
Senior project coordinator of Unnayan Shamannay and member secretary of National Char Alliance- Zahid Rahman moderated the session.
He expressed Unnayan Shamannay鈥檚 commitment to provide data and analytical support related to cigarette taxation for the media houses of the country.
