The government’s latest decision to raise cigarette prices, albeit only for low-tier cigarettes, is a step in the right direction, but it is nowhere near enough to confront the scale of Bangladesh’s tobacco crisis.
Bangladesh, regretfully, has one of the highest rates of tobacco consumption in the world, and reports more than 160,000 deaths every year from tobacco‑related illnesses.
As such, incremental price adjustments, while helpful, will not deliver the public‑health impact our country has urgently needed for some time now. Tobacco remains far too affordable, and affordability is among the largest drivers of consumption.
When prices rise, consumption drops -- especially among youth and low‑income groups, who are most vulnerable to tobacco addiction and most harmed by tobacco‑related disease.
Bangladesh’s current tax structure, however, continues to keep cigarettes within easy reach. Even after the latest increase, tobacco products remain cheaper here than in most comparable economies.
Tobacco continues to drain billions from the health system and fuels chronic diseases that burden hospitals year‑round. Every taka spent on treating tobacco‑related illness is a taka diverted from maternal health, child nutrition, and essential public services.
Despite making claims of wanting to be a tobacco-free nation in the next decade and a half, such a pledge remains hollow without serious interventions. As long as cigarettes are priced like everyday commodities, they will, naturally, be consumed like everyday commodities.
The government must move beyond modest adjustments and adopt a bold, health‑driven approach: Significantly higher taxes and strict enforcement to prevent under‑pricing and illicit sales.
Tobacco is killing Bangladesh, and affordability is enabling it. Prices must rise meaningfully if the country is serious about protecting public health and safeguarding its future.