The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

It is essential to control smoking and tobacco-made products by increasing prices of tobacco- made products and imposing taxes. If the prices of these goods are very high, the rate of smokers decrease and cost for maintaining public health and control over tobacco-borne diseases may become easier'.

Saifuddin Ahmed, Moderator of Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance made the above remarks on Saturday while addressing the inauguration programme titled 'Tobacco and Taxation in Bangladesh' organised by 'Work for a Better Bangladesh, Trust' (WBBT). The Development Researcher, Taifur Rahman addressed the meeting as keynote speaker and the Senior Project Officer of WBB Trust, Aminul Islam moderated the function.

Taifur Rahman, an economist, said that in a research work conducted from 1981 to 2004 it was shown that the number of smokers decreased by increasing cigarette price. It is very effective in reducing smoking.

He said, quoting a research findings which was jointly organised by World Bank and World Health Organisation (WHO), that if tobacco and cigarette fees are increased after every five years, Government may benefit by exporting tobacco products to other countries. It was also pointed out that revenue collection from this sector is much less than government expenditure for treatment of tobacco-borne diseases.

Sayed Mahbubul Alam, Programme Manager of the Trust, Kuheli Mostafa, Secretary Genarel of the WALK, Nipen Chandra Bala, IACIB Officer, Bidhan Chandra Pal, Hunger Project Officer, Sarmin Islam Daisy, RCSP Chairman, Sayeda Onanna Rahman,WBB Trust Officer, Mazedul Haq Manir ORD's Executive Director spoke on the occasion.