Category: Tobacco Tax Increase

If a specific tax is imposed on all types of tobacco products it will play a major role in tobacco control besides increasing the revenue of the government as well. On the other hand, to prevent revenue evasion, a strong national tax policy should be formulated as soon as possible, as announced by the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in addition to stopping the retail sale of cigarettes.They said these things in a press conference organized at Tafazzal Hossain Mia Hall of National Press Club Wednesday 16th November, 2022 at 11 am. Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA), Bangladesh Network for Tobacco Tax Policy (BNTTP), Bangladesh Cancer Society, National Heart Foundation and Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust…

Bangladesh Network for Tobacco Tax Policy (BNTTP), Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) and AID Foundation have jointly arranged a press conference demanding specific tax on tobacco products. The virtual press conference was held on Saturday (May 22).    Project Director of AID Foundation Sagufta Sultana presided over the press conference, while Project Director of BNTTP Hamidul Islam Hillol presented the keynote paper. Representatives from some other anti-tobacco platforms joined the press conference.     In his presentation, Hamidul Islam Hillol called the government to impose specific tax on tobacco products in the upcoming budget in the interest of increasing revenue income and controlling the tobacco consumption to save the public health. He said that the government imposes tax…

Economic Reporters Forum, Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance and Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust jointly organized a discussion on Necessary Imposition of Specific Tax on Tobacco Products on February 28, 2021. Adv. Syed Mahbubul Alam (TA, The Union), Gauss Pierre (Director, WBB Trust), Anti-tobacco researcher Shushanta Sinha (Special Correspondent, Jamuna TV) were attended at the meeting chaired by Sharmin Rinvi (President, Economic Reporters Forum).   Professor Dr. Rumana Haque, (Department of Economics, Dhaka University) presented the keynote address at the meeting Conducted by SM Rashidul Islam (General Secretary, Economic Reporters Forum).   In her presentation, Dr. Rumana Haque said that, the smoking rate has dropped from 43% to 35% in the 8 years from 2009 to 2017 and it has been possible as a result of…

On November 09, 2020, Health Economics Unit-Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) and Work for aBetter Bangladesh (WBB) Trust jointly with support from The Union organized a discussion meeting titled ‘Importance of Tax Rise on Tobacco and Its Benefits in Improving Public Health’ in the conference room of Health Economics Unit. Speakers at the meeting expressed their views that the weak tobacco tax structure is benefiting the tobacco company in general. Dr. Md. Shahadat Hossain Mahmud (DG, Health Economics Unit) presided over the discussion while Dr. Nasiruddin Ahmed (Former Chairman, NBR), Md. Shafiqul Islam (Head of Program, Vital Strategies), Dr. Md. Nurul Amin (Director-Research, HEU), Aminul Islam (Program Officer, National Tobacco Control Cell), Ad. Syed MahbubulAlam (Technical Advisor, The Union), Gaous Pearee (Director, WBB Trust), Sushant Sinha (Tobacco Control Activist) and others shared their views. Dr.…

Almost all the jorda factories in Bangladesh are marketing jorda ignoring the budget for the fiscal year 2020-21. In addition, the budget did not affect the jorda market and vendors as per capita income and inflation did not increase the price. A recent study revealed such information.  The research results were released at a press conference organized 5 anti-tobacco organizations through the Meeting Software Zoom on Monday, 8 September 2020.  The data were collected at the same time from each district from the wholesale stores in the market, before the budget, and after30 days of the budget in the fiscal year 2020-21. A total of 125 Jordas were collected from 6 districts on the current selling price…

An online human chain was organised to demand a specific tax on harmful tobacco products to recover economic losses caused by corona infection and protect public health on Thursday 14 May 2020 . Hundreds of anti-tobacco organizations and common people across the country took part in this online human chain. Various organizations from across the country including Bangladesh Network for Tobacco Tax Policy (BNTTP), Tobacco Control and Research Cell (TCRC), Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB)Trust participated in this online human chain initiated by Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) and Aid Foundation, with support from The Union. This is the first online human chain held in Bangladesh through social media Facebook. Participants posted leaflets with various slogans and posted demands…

It is important to impose specific taxes on harmful tobacco products in order to protect public health and to recover the economic losses of corona. Therefore, it is time to introduce a specific tax structure for tobacco products. The speakers made the demand at a webinar titled ‘Necessary Imposition of Specific Taxes on Tobacco Products’ held on Sunday 10 May 2020. The webinar was jointly organised by Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA), Bangladesh Network for Tobacco Tax Policy (BNTTP), Tobacco Control and Research Cell (TCRC) and Dhaka International University (DIU). The webinar is held via the meeting software Zoom. MP from Gaibandha-1 constituency Shamim Haider Patwari presided over the webinar, while it was addressed, among others, by Rana Mohammad…

It is possible to bear the economic loss caused by corona virus spread through imposing specific tax on tobacco products which are harmful to public health. Tobacco control activists remarks in a webinar titled ‘Proposal to impose a specific tax on tobacco products to corona's economic losses’ using the meeting software Zoom at 11am on 27 April 2020 Monday. The webinar was jointly organized by the Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) and the Bangladesh Network for Tobacco Tax Policy (BNTTP). Member of Parliament Rajshahi-2 Avd. Fazle Hossain Badshah said, "It is possible to cover up a lot of losses by imposing taxes on tobacco products to make up for the economic losses during the Corona period. However, for…