BER arranged workshop with HEU and NTCC

Bureau of Economic Research (BER), Health Economics Unit (HEU), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), and National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC) jointly arranged a workshop on 30th December 2021 to discuss the draft tobacco tax policy proposal.

Ms. Kazi Zebunnesa Begum, Additional Secretary (World Health), MOHFW joined the meeting as Chief Guest. Dr. Md. Shahadt Hossain Mahmud, Director General (Additional Secretary), HEU chaired the meeting. Mr. Hossain Ali Khondoker, Coordinator (Additional Secretary), National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC), Dr. Md. Akhteruzzaman, Joint Secretary & Programme Manager of HEU; A.Y.M. Ziauddin-Al-Mamun, Director –Admin (Joint Secretary), HEU; Dr. Md. Mostafizur Rahman, Deputy Director – 4 (Deputy Secretary) of HEU; Mazaharul Islam, Deputy Director-3 (Senior Assistant Secretary) of HEU, Nazma Siddika Begum, Deputy Program Manager (Senior Assistant Secretary) of HEU; Aminul Islam, Program Officer of of NTCC, Dr. Md. Farhadur Reza, Program Officer of NTCC; Shadat Hossain, Research Officer of HEU and representatives of WHO were present in the meeting.

Ms. Kazi Zebunnesa Begum appreciated the initiative of drafting the tobacco tax policy proposal and commented that it is a comprehensive outline of tobacco tax policy which captures diverse issues related to tobacco taxation in Bangladesh. Dr. Md. Shahadt Hossain Mahmud and Mr. Hossain Ali Khondoker also highlighted the importance of endorsing the tobacco tax policy proposal.

Ms. Kazi Zebunnesa Begum and Dr. Md. Shahadt Hossain Mahmud expressed their firm commitment to work together in the process of preparing and endorsing the tobacco tax policy in Bangladesh. They said that it is a long process to prepare and approve a policy, and they are happy to lead the process.

Dr. Md. Shahadt Hossain suggested that HEU and NTCC will arrange a number of consultation meetings with relevant stakeholders including National Board of Revenue, MOHFW, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Commerce to discuss the draft tobacco tax policy proposal. Ms. Kazi Zebunnesa Begum proposed to form a small committee to draft the policy. Mr. Shafiqul Islam and Mr. Hossain Ali Khondoker also supported the ideas.