Speakers at a discussion have stressed more effective tobacco taxation for achieving the goal of building a tobacco-free country by 2040 as committed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Besides, they suggested amendments to the tobacco control act to make it further effective.
The recommendations were made at a pre-budget discussion session organised by non-government think-tank Unnayan Shamannay in Dhaka on Monday, according to a press release.
Parliamentarians, sector experts, researchers and media professionals participated in this discussion session titled ‘Pre-Budget Discussion on Effective Tobacco Taxation’.
Members of Parliament R.A.M. Ubaidul Muktadir, Md. Monwar Hossain Chowdhury, Umme Fatema Nazma Begum, Shamima Akhter Kaham, Habiba Rahman Khan, and Badruddoza Md. Farhad Hossain were present at the discussion event.
Panel discussants were BIRDEM’s Professor freedom fighter Dr Arup Ratan Chowdhury, Centre for Policy Dialogue’s Research Director Dr Khondoker Golam Moazzem, IUB’s School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Dean Dr Taiabur Rahman, Lead Policy Advisor of CTFK Bangladesh Md. Mustafizur Rahman and Dhaka University’s Women and Gender Studies Professor Dr Tania Haque.
Discussants pointed out that the number of tobacco product users will fall significantly if the proposed tax structure is implemented.
Along with these, the production of new tobacco products and provision of ‘smoking zones’ at the restaurants must be cancelled, they said.
Moreover, they suggested that farmers, in the areas where tobacco is being cultivated, need to be adequately incentivised so that they opt to cultivate alternative crops.
“E-cigarettes also need to be banned and establishment of no new tobacco factories should be stopped,” the speakers opined.
In the open discussion session, participants urged the parliamentarians to raise the issues related to tobacco taxation in the parliament.
A video message by Unnayan Shamannay Chair and former Governor of Bangladesh Bank Professor Dr Atiur Rahman was presented at the beginning of the session.
