Eleven members of parliament have suggested reducing the affordability of tobacco products and increasing retail prices of all tobacco products to build a tobacco-free country.
The lawmakers also pointed out that they need to work together with anti-tobacco organisations and researchers.
They came up with the statement while addressing an online roundtable session titled “Tobacco Taxation in Budget 2021-22: Thoughts of Honourable Parliamentarians” organised by non-government research organisation Unnayan Shamannay.
Unnayan Shamannay’s Chair Professor Dr Atiur Rahman presented the keynote at the discussion and moderated it, according to a press release.
In the keynote, the former governor of Bangladesh Bank has described effective taxation as the most effective tool to reduce the use of tobacco products.
“Countries like Philippines, Gambia, Sri Lanka, Colombia and Oman have not only reduced tobacco use significantly through increased taxes, but they have also managed to increase their revenue earned through tobacco taxation,” he said.
He opined that if all the stakeholders can be properly engaged through evidence-based advocacy- then effective tobacco taxation in Bangladesh will be possible as well.
Dr Atiur put forward some policy recommendations including- incentivising NBR officials engaged in collecting taxes from tobacco selling and doing further in-depth research regarding tobacco consumption in Bangladesh.
