BSS :
Speakers at a dialogue, on Tuesday said to build a tobacco-free country, affordability of tobacco products need to be decreased, so there is no alternative to increasing retail prices of all tobacco products through effective taxation.
Parliamentarians need to work together with anti-tobacco organizations and researchers in this regard, they opined.
Eleven parliamentarians made the remarks during an online roundtable session titled “Tobacco Taxation in Budget 2021-22: Thoughts of Honorable Parliamentarians” organized by non-government research organization Unnayan Shamannay , said a press release.
The session was moderated by Unnayan Shamannay’s Chair and former Governor of Bangladesh Bank Professor Dr. Atiur Rahman.
Participating parliamentarians were Fazle Hossain Badsha, MP, Md. Shifuzzaman, MP, Shirin Akhter, MP, Nazma Akther, MP, Mohammad Shahiduzzaman, MP, Shamsun Nahar, MP, MA Matin, MP, Abdul Mannan, MP, Aparajita Haque, MP, Md. Nurul Islam Talukder, MP, and Gloria Jharna Sarker, MP.
While presenting the keynote, Dr. Atiur Rahman said that effective taxation has been proven to be the most effective tool to reduce the use of tobacco products.
Countries like the Philippines, Gambia, Sri Lanka, Colombia and Oman have not only reduced tobacco use significantly through increased taxes, but they have also managed to increase their revenue earned through tobacco taxation, he mentioned.
He opined that if all the stakeholders can be properly engaged through evidence-based advocacy- then effective tobacco taxation in Bangladesh will be possible as well. He also put forward some recommendations including- incentivizing NBR officials engaged in collecting taxes from tobacco selling, and doing further in-depth research regarding tobacco consumption in Bangladesh.
Parliamentarian from Magura-01 constituency Md. Shifuzzaman said- “A caucus may be formed to communicate the effective taxation proposals to the National Board of Revenue”.
Cultivation of tobacco should not receive the special supports provided by the government to marginal farmers- opined a parliamentarian from Feni-1 constituency Shirin Akhter.
Participating parliamentarians also emphasized on creating alternative income-generating opportunities for tobacco farmers, small entrepreneurs, and the workers in tobacco factories.
They recommended a part of the additional money earned from increasing tobacco taxes should go for this purpose.
