Bidi workers push for tobacco tax raise in FY 2024-25
Staff Reporter :
Bidi workers of Tangail district formed a human chain program in front of the National Press Club in the capital on Thursday demanding higher tax on all types of tobacco products in the budget of the upcoming fiscal year 2024-25.
In order to protect public health and to implement the pledge to make Bangladesh tobacco-free before 2040 announced by the Honorable Prime Minister, The workers also demanded alternative employment for bidi workers to reduce their health risk and for ensuring better lives.
According to data from a World Health Organization study on tobacco use in Bangladesh, if the Bangladesh government reforms the existing tobacco tax system in fiscal year 2024-25, about 1.5 million adults will be encouraged to quit smoking, and about 1 million youths will be discouraged from starting to consume tobacco In the long run, lives of about 1.1 million people will be saved from premature death due to tobacco use.
Price increase at a lower tier will encourage relatively low-income smokers to quit, and cigarette price increase at a higher level will discourage smokers from choosing the cheaper brands.
Reforming the taxation system through the introduction of specific taxes, recommended by the World Health Organization (which is common in most countries of the world), will strengthen the effectiveness of the cigarette taxation framework.
Partaking in the human chain, General Secretary of Tangail Bidi Workers Union Shah Alam said, “We are constantly facing various health hazards like respiratory diseases, heart disease, lung and oral cancer, mental fatigue etc. because we are involved in the production of tobacco products.
In this process we are only involved out of poverty as we do not have any other employment opportunities.
However, we want higher taxes on tobacco products and increased prices for public health safety.
Besides, we (bidi workers) should be provided with alternative employment.”
He also commented that to prevent the youth from smoking, the tax rate on cheap bidis and cigarettes should be increased massively so that they are no longer affordable.
Treasurer of Tangail Bidi Sramik Union Jayamoni Begum called on the government to increase the price of tobacco products by increasing the tax to protect the health of the low-income population.
Joint General Secretary of Tangail Bidi Workers’ Union Jasim demanded that the price of lowest tier cigarettes should be kept at a minimum of Tk 60 per 10-stick pack so that low income people are discouraged from consuming tobacco.
