Youth demand effective taxation on tobacco products to protect public health

A youth-led health advocacy group has urged the government to introduce stronger taxation and price hikes on tobacco products in the upcoming national budget for FY 2026–27, arguing that current pricing keeps cigarettes and other tobacco items dangerously affordable for young people and low-income communities.

At a press conference held on Tuesday at the auditorium of Dhaka Ahsania Mission in the capital, the Ahsania Mission Youth Forum for Health and Wellbeing said Bangladesh is facing a growing public health crisis driven by widespread tobacco use, particularly among adolescents and economically vulnerable groups.

Speakers at the event warned that easy access to cheap tobacco products has contributed to a sharp rise in consumption, with serious health consequences nationwide. They said nearly 200,000 people die prematurely every year in Bangladesh from tobacco-related diseases, accounting for more than 18 percent of total deaths.

The forum stressed that making tobacco products less affordable through effective taxation is one of the most practical ways to reduce consumption and prevent premature deaths.

They also highlighted a major economic imbalance, noting that while the government earns around Tk 40,000 crore annually from the tobacco sector, the overall economic loss from healthcare costs, productivity loss, and environmental damage is estimated at about Tk 87,000 crore—more than double the revenue generated.

According to the speakers, this gap demonstrates the urgent need for stronger fiscal measures. They argued that without effective taxation reform, the broader socio-economic burden of tobacco will continue to grow.

The press conference also pointed out that tobacco products remain relatively cheap compared to essential goods, largely due to the absence of regular price adjustments in line with inflation and rising incomes. This, they said, has undermined tobacco control efforts and made cigarettes more accessible to young consumers.

Marzana Muntaha, Coordinator of the Youth Forum, criticised the existing four-tier cigarette pricing system, saying it allows low-cost cigarettes to remain widely accessible and fuels early addiction among youth.

She proposed a revised pricing structure for the FY 2026–27 budget, suggesting the merging of the lower and medium tiers, with prices set at Tk 100 per 10-stick pack, Tk 150 for the high tier, and Tk 200 for the premium tier. She also recommended maintaining a uniform 67 percent supplementary duty across all tiers and introducing a specific tax of Tk 4 per pack.

Another youth member, Tasnia Tanzim Sara, said that implementing the proposed tax reforms could have a significant public health impact. She estimated that around 500,000 adult smokers could quit, while more than 300,000 young people could be prevented from starting smoking.

She further claimed that such measures could help avert approximately 185,335 premature deaths among young people.
Sara also projected that the revised tax structure could increase government revenue from tobacco to over Tk 85,000 crore, an increase of around Tk 44,000 crore compared to the previous fiscal year. She said the additional revenue could be directed toward strengthening the health sector and improving treatment for tobacco-related diseases.

The youth forum concluded by calling on policymakers to prioritise public health over short-term revenue considerations and adopt a stronger, evidence-based tobacco taxation policy in the upcoming budget.