Demand for cigarette tier reduction and effective taxation
Public health advocates and experts have called on the government to reduce the number of cigarette price tiers, introduce a specific tax system, and impose effective taxation on all tobacco products in the national budget for fiscal year 2026–27 to curb tobacco use and increase government revenue.
The demand was raised at a press conference titled “Demand for Taxation and Price Increase on Tobacco Products in the Upcoming FY2026–27 Budget for Public Health Protection”, organized by Dhaka Ahsania Mission at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Thursday.
Speakers at the event said that reforming the tobacco tax structure would reduce smoking prevalence, prevent premature deaths, and generate significant additional revenue for the government.
Under the proposed reforms, the existing four-ti...