PROGGA, ATMA Call for Tobacco Tax Structure Reform in Final Budget
Reducing the number of cigarette price tiers, introducing a specific excise tax system, and effectively raising prices of all tobacco products in the final FY 2026-27 budget would not only improve the state of public health but also increase revenue inflow for the government. Economists and anti-tobacco activists said these today (25 June 2026, Thursday) during a post-budget press conference, organized jointly by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) that took place at the Zahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall of the National Press Club.
Citing data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), PROGGA and ATMA stated that the national per capita income (provisional) increased by 10.27 percent between 2025 and 2026. During the same period, the prices of essential ...