Staff Correspondent :
Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu on Sunday suggested the government to impose higher tax and duties on all kinds of tobacco products to discourage smoking and eliminate tobacco uses from Bangladesh.
“Finance Minister in the proposed budget for fiscal 2016-17 has increased tax on tobacco products. But this is not enough… More excise tax and duties should be imposed on tobacco products considering the health-risk and
harmful affects of tobacco products,” he said. The Information Minister came up with the remarks while addressing a seminar titled `National Budget FY2016-17: Bidi Labour and Bidi Industry’ held at Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) auditorium in the capital on Sunday.
Prof Mesbah Kamal, Chairperson, Research and Development Collective (RDC) Bangladesh presented a key note paper in the seminar conducted by Dr Wajedul Islam Khan, General Secretary, Bangladesh Trade Union Kendro.
Among others spoke public health specialist Dr Abdus Sobur, Bidi Labour Federation General Secretary MK Kangali, Karigar Bidi Labour Union President Pronab Debnath, Akij Bidi Factory AGM Kazi Anwarul Islam and Hena Begum.
Information Minister said, “Our Prime Minister has declared to eliminate tobacco uses from Bangladesh by 2040 at SDG related South Asian Speakers Summit. To achieve the goal, she ordered to adopt a strong tax policy by making a higher tax structure so that it will reduce the purchasing power of tobacco products and at the same time increase the tax revenue of the government”.
The minister expressed hope that the government will consider these issues before passage of the budget.
He cited from proposed budget FY 2016-17, imposed 30 per cent supplementary duty on bidi, which is 15 per cent on cigarette. That will encourage to smoking cigarette, he added.
Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu on Sunday suggested the government to impose higher tax and duties on all kinds of tobacco products to discourage smoking and eliminate tobacco uses from Bangladesh.
“Finance Minister in the proposed budget for fiscal 2016-17 has increased tax on tobacco products. But this is not enough… More excise tax and duties should be imposed on tobacco products considering the health-risk and
harmful affects of tobacco products,” he said. The Information Minister came up with the remarks while addressing a seminar titled `National Budget FY2016-17: Bidi Labour and Bidi Industry’ held at Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) auditorium in the capital on Sunday.
Prof Mesbah Kamal, Chairperson, Research and Development Collective (RDC) Bangladesh presented a key note paper in the seminar conducted by Dr Wajedul Islam Khan, General Secretary, Bangladesh Trade Union Kendro.
Among others spoke public health specialist Dr Abdus Sobur, Bidi Labour Federation General Secretary MK Kangali, Karigar Bidi Labour Union President Pronab Debnath, Akij Bidi Factory AGM Kazi Anwarul Islam and Hena Begum.
Information Minister said, “Our Prime Minister has declared to eliminate tobacco uses from Bangladesh by 2040 at SDG related South Asian Speakers Summit. To achieve the goal, she ordered to adopt a strong tax policy by making a higher tax structure so that it will reduce the purchasing power of tobacco products and at the same time increase the tax revenue of the government”.
The minister expressed hope that the government will consider these issues before passage of the budget.
He cited from proposed budget FY 2016-17, imposed 30 per cent supplementary duty on bidi, which is 15 per cent on cigarette. That will encourage to smoking cigarette, he added.
