Public health experts, economists and anti-tobacco campaigners on Sunday called for comprehensive reforms in Bangladesh’s tobacco tax structure, saying stronger taxation measures could save hundreds of thousands of lives while significantly increasing government revenue.
The call came at a discussion meeting titled “Budget 2026–27: Advancing Public Health and Increasing Tobacco Revenue,” held at the Zahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall of the National Press Club in Dhaka. The event was jointly organized by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA).
Speakers at the event stressed that the existing tobacco taxation system remains weak and ineffective, making tobacco products easily affordable to consumers, particularly low-income groups and young people.
They proposed reducing the number of cigarette price tiers, introducing a specific tax system and increasing taxes and prices on all tobacco products.
According to the experts, implementation of the proposed reforms could generate nearly Tk44,000 crore in additional revenue from the cigarette sector alone, while preventing around 400,000 premature deaths in the long run.
As part of the recommendations, the speakers proposed merging the low and medium cigarette tiers into a single category and setting the retail price at Tk100 per pack of 10 sticks.
They also suggested fixing the price of high-tier cigarettes at Tk150 and premium-tier cigarettes at Tk200 or above.
The proposals further recommended retaining the existing 67% supplementary duty (SD) on all cigarette tiers and introducing a specific tax of Tk4 per 10 sticks to simplify the taxation system and make it more effective.
Dr Mahfuz Kabir, research director of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), said that the small price difference between low and medium-tier cigarettes encourages smokers to continue tobacco consumption without financial pressure.
He said: “Currently, consumers of the low and medium tiers account for nearly 90% of all cigarette users in Bangladesh. Merging these two tiers and setting the price at Tk100 for 10 sticks can substantially increase government revenue and discourage smoking, especially among poor and young consumers”.
Dr Rumana Huque, Professor of the Department of Economics at the University of Dhaka, Dr Syed Abdul Hamid, Professor at the Institute of Health Economics of the University of Dhaka, and Zahirul Alam, Executive Director of Channel24, emphasized the need for stronger tobacco taxation and greater public awareness to protect public health.
They said tobacco products in Bangladesh remain cheaper than many essential commodities, making them easily accessible to people.
The speakers stressed that effective measures must be taken to make tobacco products less affordable, while the introduction of a specific tax system could simplify tax collection and improve revenue management.
They also highlighted the important role of the media in creating awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use and the necessity of increasing tobacco taxes and prices.
Public health expert Dr Lenin Choudhury urged policymakers to implement all the proposed reforms related to tobacco pricing and taxation in the upcoming national budget.
“If these proposals are implemented properly, tobacco use can be significantly reduced across the country,” he said.
Dr Abu Jamil Faisel, President of the Public Health Association of Bangladesh, said raising tobacco taxes and prices remains the most effective strategy for achieving a tobacco-free Bangladesh.
The budget proposals presented during the event also included recommendations for bidi and smokeless tobacco products such as jarda and gul.
Experts proposed introducing uniform prices and taxes for both filtered and non-filtered bidi. They recommended fixing the retail price of 20 sticks of bidi at Tk30, accompanied by a 50% supplementary duty.
For smokeless tobacco products, the speakers suggested setting the retail price of 10 grams of jarda at Tk60 and gul at Tk30, followed by a 60% supplementary duty.
The recommendations also included retaining the existing 15% VAT on the retail prices of all tobacco products and continuing the current 1% health development surcharge (HDS).
The speakers noted that tobacco use among adults aged 15 years and above in Bangladesh currently stands at 35.3%, while tobacco-related diseases claim nearly 200,000 lives every year.
They said the widespread availability and affordability of tobacco products remain the primary reasons behind the high number of tobacco-related deaths in the country.
Referring to a 2025 study conducted by the World Health Organization, the speakers said the price of the most sold cigarette brand in Bangladesh is significantly lower compared to several South Asian countries, including Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bhutan, Nepal and India.
They also pointed out that 69 countries around the world, including India, Thailand and Turkey, have already introduced specific taxes alongside the ad-valorem tax system to increase tobacco prices more effectively.
The discussion was hosted by Nadira Kiron, co-convener of ATMA. Among the discussants were Mortuza Haider Liton, convener of ATMA, and ABM Zubair, executive director of PROGGA.
Representatives from various anti-tobacco organizations, journalists from different media outlets and public health experts were also present at the event.
