Request to Health Economics Unit for sending proposal to increase tobacco tax
A representative team of Bangladesh NetworkforTobacco Tax Policy (BNTTP) and Bangladesh Anti Tobacco Alliance met Dr. Md. Shahadat Hossain Mahmud, Director General of the Health Economics Unit on 9 December 2019. During the meeting, the representatives requested Health Economics Unit to send proposal to the Ministry of Finance for taking initiatives to conduct research on the effects of tobacco and increase the base value and tax of tobacco products. Members of the representative team also raised the issue with significant importance of rendering misleading information by tobacco companies to spread the influence in the policy.
Sushanta Kumar Singha said, tobacco companies want to mislead policy makers in various ways. It is important to have specific and detailed information on tobacco production, imports, exports, revenue etc. in Bangladesh. At the same time, it is important to have the consistency among the data provided by various government agencies. We believe, if government has the actual information, the real harmful aspects of tobacco will be more obvious and it will be easier to take effective measures to control tobacco.
Hamidul Islam Hillol said, there are four tiers of cigarette pricing available in our country. As a result, companies are easily defrauding taxes. Along with that, a smoker switches from one tier to another when price is increased. So, the purpose of controlling tobacco use by raising tax is being hindered. Effective steps are taken necessary to formulate subsidiary policies, simplify the tax structure of tobacco, and increase the base value of tobacco products.
Syeda Ananya Rahman said, it is the tendency of the tobacco companies to create confusion among the data of tobacco products. The Health Economics Unit is a powerful unit of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The unit’s research on the economic and health damage caused by tobacco will make it possible to take forward the country’s tobacco control program.
Dr. Md. Shahadat Hossain Mahmud said the Honorable Prime Minister expressed his firm commitment to control tobacco use by 2040. The government is also positive in controlling tobacco overall. The responsibility of those working in tobacco control is to assist the government by providing accurate information for tobacco control. The Health Economics Unit also assisted in various initiatives of tobacco control in the past. He also added that the proposal of the Bangladesh Anti Tobacco Alliance will be discussed in detail to take effective steps.
Sushanta Kumar Singha, special correspondent of Jamuna TV; Hamidul Islam Hillol, project manager of Bangladesh NetworkforTobacco Tax Policy (BNTTP); Abu Naser Anik, advocacy officer of the Aid Foundation, program manager Syeda Anonna Rahman on behalf of the Bangladesh Anti Tobacco Alliance Secretariat along with project officer Nawshin Bashir and assistant project officer Abu Rayhan were in the representative team.