Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee on Wednesday said effective taxation on tobacco products is necessary in the upcoming budget to protect public health.
He also said the revenue to be generated through the implementation of the proposed tobacco tax will make an important contribution to strengthening the health sector in Bangladesh.
The minister made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled ‘The need for effective tax and price increases on tobacco products to control non-communicable diseases related to tobacco use in public health protection’.
"The Dhaka Ahsania Mission arranged the seminar in the city,” a handout said.
Stating that the government is determined to control non-communicable diseases related to tobacco use as per the BNP’s election pledge, Anee said, “We will try to raise the issue at the relevant policy-making levels, including national parliament, to build a healthy, safe and tobacco-free Bangladesh by increasing the tax and price of tobacco products.”
He also mentioned that the government is committed to protecting public health and increasing the tax and price of tobacco products in the upcoming budget, as it will make further progress in tobacco control.
Noting that tobacco use is very high in Bangladesh among the South Asian countries, the minister stated, “as the incumbent government is committed to protecting public health, and it has specific goals in tobacco control too.”
Professor Dr Shafiun Nahin Shimul, Director of the Institute of Health Economics, University of Dhaka, also exchanged views, saying that there are currently four levels of cigarettes in Bangladesh, of which about 90 per cent of the cigarettes sold in the market are low and medium levels, which are easily available to young and low-income people.
In addition, he said that tobacco use is increasingwidespread to the easy availability of jorda, gul and bidi.
Chaired by Dhaka Ahsania Mission President Professor Dr Golam Rahman, the seminar was addressed, among others, by additional secretary of the Ministry of Health Sheikh Momena Moni and former chairman of BCIC Mostafizur Rahman.
