Anti-tobacco campaigners, at a program in Rajshahi city on Tuesday, underscored the need for imposition of higher taxes on tobacco products with an aim to discourage people from consuming cigarettes, and other tobacco products.
They also called for formulation of a specific tax policy on tobacco to reduce its consumption significantly, while addressing a post-rally discussion titled “Imposing Specific Excise Taxes on All Tobacco Products,” reports BSS.
Association for Community Development (ACD) organized the meeting at Shaheb Bazar Zero Point in the city, demanding formulation of tax policy on tobacco products to increase taxes on tobacco products.
ACD Finance Director Pankaj Karmaker, Programme Manager Shahinur Rahman, Project Coordinator Abdur Razzaque, Advocacy Officer Shariful Islam, and Project Officer Ahsan Ullah Sarker addressed the meeting.
The speakers put emphasis on combating the existing violation of tobacco control laws so as to protect public health from non-communicable diseases.
He said the number of mobile court should be increased both in rural, and urban areas including some key areas — railway stations, bus terminals, and amusement areas to ensure sound atmosphere for the people.
Issues like abolishment of various levels of tobacco tax, imposing two percent surcharge on tobacco products, adjustment of specific amount of excise tax on tobacco products, were discussed elaborately during the meeting.
Highlighting different negative impacts of tobacco consumption, Project Coordinator Abdur Razzaque said, the government should impose higher taxes to protect human health, and economic losses.
Referring to a latest survey report on tobacco usage, he added that around one lakh people are killed annually from tobacco-related diseases in Bangladesh.
