The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a pre-budget roundtable on Wednesday urged the government to increase tax on tobacco and tobacco products with a view to discourage smoking.

They said the number of smokers is increasing day by day in the country that has raised health risk of the people alarmingly. This has already put pressure on national health budget.

The pre-budget roundtable on 'Tax on tobacco' organised by Unnayan Samnaya' held at the IDB Bhban in the city.

Chairman of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Prof Mozzaffar Ahmed attended the roundtable as the chief guest while Chairman of Unnyan Samnay Dr Atiur Rahman presided over it.

National Prof Dr Nurul Islam, Dr Mashiur Rahman, Mostafizur Rahman and Ram Chandra of RTM International, among others, addressed the roundtable.

Stressing the need for combined efforts to build social movement against smoking, Prof Mozzafar Ahmed said we must popularise the "smoking free job policy" and apply the law against smoking properly.

Describing various harmful sides of smoking, Dr Nurul Islam said 80 percent lung cancer patients in the country are inhabited by smoking.

Dr Atiur Rahman said the government is yet to increase tax on tobaco at 5 per cent every year as per the agreement of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control of World Health Organization. The rising price of tobaco will encourage people to quiet smoking.

Minimum 20 percent tax on tobacco would be fixed to discourage smoking, he said.