ZCZC
BSS-40
TOBACCO-TAX-ENHANCE
Enhancing taxation on tobacco products stressed
DHAKA, March 23, 2019 (BSS) – Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA), a platform of journalists, and PROGGA, a non-government organization, today suggested enhancing of taxation on cigarette and tobacco-products in next budget of 2019-20 fiscal year for its increasing of prices.
They also stressed the need for enhancing prices of cigarette and tobacco-products through restructuring of taxation, which will reduce tobacco consumption.
They came up with the opinion at a pre-budget press conference titled as ‘The Tobacco Tax We Demand’ at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) auditorium here.
The press conference was organised with the support of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids at the initiative of PROGGA and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance
Research Director of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies Mahfuz Kabir, Renowned economist and Chairman of the Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, former NBR Chairman Dr Nasiruddin Ahmed and senior research fellow of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies Dr Najnin Ahmed spoke on the occasion, among others, with Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman in the chair.
They also urged to break the existing four-segment price slabs for cigarettes into two, abolish filter and non-filter variation for Bidi, eliminate tariff value system of smoke-free tobacco products and impose 15pc VAT on all tobacco retail products.
BSS/RI/SRH/MMR/MMA/2212hrs