Tax measures in new budget to escalate tobacco use: Experts | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Wednesday
June 11, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2025
Tax measures in new budget to escalate tobacco use: Experts

Economy

TBS Report 
12 June, 2023, 09:05 pm
Last modified: 13 June, 2023, 11:31 am

Related News

  • FY26: Unchanged tobacco tax in proposed budget may cost government Tk20,000cr, say experts
  • Budget 2025-26: Tobacco tax can address revenue shortfall
  • Health adviser stresses need for tobacco-free nation to curb disease
  • CA for making youth aware of tobacco's harmful effects
  • Health Reform Commission to submit report after reviewing proposed tobacco law amendments

Tax measures in new budget to escalate tobacco use: Experts

TBS Report 
12 June, 2023, 09:05 pm
Last modified: 13 June, 2023, 11:31 am
Tax measures in new budget to escalate tobacco use: Experts

The proposed national budget for FY 2023-24, if adopted, will once again render tobacco products cheaper than essential commodities, experts have said. 

This will raise tobacco-related illness and deaths, deprive the government of the opportunity to earn additional revenue, and only benefit tobacco companies, they said at a post-budget press conference on tobacco price and tax measures, at the National Press Club on Monday.

The event was jointly organised by research and advocacy organisation PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and Anti-tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA). 

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Economists and anti-tobacco leaders have raised demand for introducing specific supplementary duty (SD) to effectively raise the prices of tobacco products in the final budget.

According to PROGGA and ATMA, the increase in prices of 10 sticks cigarettes ranges from 1.8% to 12.5%. However, according to the government reports, the year-on-year increase in the prices of loose wheat flour [atta], broiler chicken, sugar, eggs, powder milk, and red lentil ranges from 14.5% to 71.7%. As a result, tobacco products will become much cheaper compared to other essential commodities, which will encourage people to get hooked on smoking, and thus threatening public health.

The proposed budget has not raised the prices of bidi. This is the fourth consecutive time the budget has kept the retail price of bidi unchanged and the seventh consecutive time not to raise the supplementary duty (SD) imposed on bidi. The prices of per gram jarda and gul have been raised by 50 paisa and 30 paisa respectively and the SDs have been kept unchanged, said a press release.

The proposed budget raised retail prices of tobacco products without increasing the SD imposed on those products. This will only increase the profits of tobacco companies but deprive the government of the opportunity to earn additional revenue. 

As per the proposals of anti-tobacco organisations, only by introducing 65% of SD in the low-tier cigarettes, the government can earn at least Tk17 billion as additional revenue. As the proposed budget has set the SD on the low-tier of cigarettes at only 58%, the companies will pocket at least Tk4.86 billion as additional profit.
 
Addressing as the chief guest, eminent economist and convener of the National Anti-Tobacco Platform, Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said, "The budget does not reflect any of the proposals that we have put forth regarding a reform of the tobacco tax structure. We strongly demand that the government incorporate such proposals in the final budget to safeguard public health."

To make the country tobacco-free, the government must first sell all its shares in the British American Tobacco company, which is around 6%, he mentioned.

Mahfuz Kabir, research director of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), said, "There is an ample opportunity to raise additional revenue by hiking the SD on the low tier of cigarettes to 65%. The proposed budget has replaced the ad-valorem system with specific taxes on petroleum products, which should also be followed in case of tobacco products to benefit both the economy and public health."

Anti-tobacco leaders said that in the finalised budget, the retail price of the low-tier cigarettes should be set at Tk55 for 10 sticks, followed by Tk35.75 as specific supplementary duty [SD], medium-tier of cigarettes at Tk70, [Tk45.50 SD], high-tier ones at Tk120 [Tk78 SD], and premium tier ones at Tk150 [Tk97.50 SD].

The retail price of non-filtered bidis should be Tk25 for 25 sticks, followed by Tk11.25 as a specific supplementary duty, and the filtered ones at Tk20, followed by Tk9 as a specific supplementary duty, they recommended.

For 10 grams of jarda, a specific supplementary duty of Tk27 was proposed while retaining the retail price at Tk45 as per the proposed budget and for 10 grams of gul, the retail price should be Tk25 and supplemented by Tk15 as a specific supplementary duty.

It was informed that the implementation of the abovementioned proposals will raise Tk9,600 crores in additional revenues and prevent the premature deaths of 4.88 lakh adults and 4.92 lakh youths.

The discussants in the event include Syed Yusuf Sadat, research fellow of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD); Mortuza Haider Liton, convener of ATMA; Md Abdus Salam, programme manager of Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids (CTFK) Bangladesh; Md Hasan Shahriar, head of tobacco control at PROGGA; ABM Zubair, executive director of PROGGA, and leaders of different anti-tobacco organisations.

Top News / Budget

Tobacco / BUDGET FY2024

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • File Photo: TBS
    DGHS issues 11-point directive to prevent spread of Covid-19 in Bangladesh
  • Rizvi at a briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office on 11 June. Photo: Collected
    Yunus-Tarique meeting to usher in a fresh breeze for democracy: Rizvi
  • Members of law enforcement work to clear the area, as protests against federal immigration sweeps continue, in downtown Los Angeles, California, US June 10, 2025. Photo: REUTERS
    US cities brace for more protests as parts of Los Angeles placed under curfew

MOST VIEWED

  • Illustration: Duniya Jahan/ TBS
    Forget Katy Perry, here’s Bangladesh’s Ruthba Yasmin shooting for the moon
  • A file photo of Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H Mansur. Photo: Collected
    'I have no relation with this': Ahsan Mansur debunks Joy’s allegations over daughter’s Dubai flat
  • Faiz Ahmad Tayeb. Photo: BSS
    Import duty on raw materials for e-bikes, lithium batteries reduced from 80% to 1% in some cases: Faiz Taiyeb
  • Screengrab from video shows a group of local youths forcing tourists to leave a tourist spot in Utmachhra area of Sylhet's Companiganj on Sunday, 8 June 2025, citing allegations of obscene activities and environmental damage
    Locals declare tourist spot in Sylhet 'closed', force visitors to leave
  • Shakil Ahmed. Photo: Collected
    DU student allegedly hangs himself following threats over old derogatory comment about Prophet on Facebook
  • Photo shows the Land Cruiser Prado car belonging to former member of parliament (MP) Anwarul Azim Anar found in Kushtia. Photo: TBS
    Luxury car of ex-AL MP Anar, who was killed in Kolkata, found in Kushtia

Related News

  • FY26: Unchanged tobacco tax in proposed budget may cost government Tk20,000cr, say experts
  • Budget 2025-26: Tobacco tax can address revenue shortfall
  • Health adviser stresses need for tobacco-free nation to curb disease
  • CA for making youth aware of tobacco's harmful effects
  • Health Reform Commission to submit report after reviewing proposed tobacco law amendments

Features

Illustration: Duniya Jahan/ TBS

Forget Katy Perry, here’s Bangladesh’s Ruthba Yasmin shooting for the moon

19h | Features
File photo of Eid holidaymakers returning to the capital from their country homes/Rajib Dhar

Dhaka: The city we never want to return to, but always do

2d | Features
Photo collage shows political posters in Bagerhat. Photos: Jannatul Naym Pieal

From Sheikh Dynasty to sibling rivalry: Bagerhat signals a turning tide in local politics

4d | Bangladesh
Illustration: TBS

Unbearable weight of the white coat: The mental health crisis in our medical colleges

6d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Covid-19 testing to resume at hospitals amid rising infections

Covid-19 testing to resume at hospitals amid rising infections

26m | TBS Today
Curfew ordered in downtown Los Angeles after looting and vandalism

Curfew ordered in downtown Los Angeles after looting and vandalism

1h | TBS World
Israel kidnapped me in international waters: Greta Thunberg

Israel kidnapped me in international waters: Greta Thunberg

2h | TBS World
Is the chief adviser's meeting with the British Prime Minister uncertain?

Is the chief adviser's meeting with the British Prime Minister uncertain?

3h | TBS Stories
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net