In the meeting Mr. Taifur Rahman, Research and Program Chief of Unnayan Shamannay presented a research based presentation titled “Taxing Tobacco: Budget 2009-10”. He argued for the necessity of increasing the taxes of tobacco products as well as presented the market impact of previous years taxation while demanding 15% retail price increase in all tobacco products, 2 Tk. specific tax for each packet of bidi and taking under purview of all the smokeless tobacco products other than jarda and guul to impose supplementary duty. During the open discussion phase of the meeting Dr. Atiur Rahman, chairman of Unnayan Shamannay and Dr. Zulfiquer Ali, Research Fellow of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) participated in a lively discussion with the NBR officials. Dr. Atiur Rahman also emphasized on increased taxes to protect the poor from worsening health condition. He also claimed that it is obligatory for Bangladesh to do so under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). And increased taxes will consequently reduce the incidence of smoking, reduce the health expenditure of the government and raise the amount of revenue which ultimately helps the government to tackle the likely recession. In the meeting the chairman of NBR, Mr. Abdul Mazid equivocally supported the current tobacco control movement and on the basis of ethical, economic and legal argument he also committed that the tax rates would be continuously increased. He mentioned that Bangladesh is the first and foremost signatory of FCTC where the price and tax measures have been incorporated and the issue is now under consideration of the NBR. The intention to impose increasing taxes on tobacco products is not based on increased revenue collection like other industries rather to reduce the tobacco consumption. He also mentioned that as smoking has been devastatingly affecting the health and incurring more expenditure to the government so keeping the national interest in consideration government has been supporting this social and tax raising movement.
In a joint press briefing after the discussion meeting Dr. Atiur Rahman conveyed the proposals to the mass media by saying that if the government realizes all the proposals 2500 crore sticks of bidi and cigarette consumption would be reduced and government will earn 950 crore taka more as revenue. Mr. Abdul Mazid also replied the questions of the journalist by expressing the positive attitude of the NBR to the issue and also noticed that everything will be considered while taking any measures in the upcoming budget.
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