Public Health on Top

Theme of the World No Tobacco Day – Raise Tax and Reduce Diseases and Deaths, is highly important for Bangladesh. The National Budget session in the parliament is ahead, and this is the season for the tobacco companies to have some benefits by producing pro-tobacco activities. But, this year the tobacco industries are trying to reap tax benefits shamelessly as tobacco control organizations and media are continuously exposing their evil intentions against effective tobacco taxation on tobacco products centering the WNTD 2014. The industries were very active in achieving their demands during the months of April-May and will continue the activities until the budget is passed. During the period, The Cigarette Manufacturers Association of Bangladesh (CMAB) held a secret meeting with National Board of Revenue (NBR) demanding to reduce taxes and get other benefits violating the FCTC. Simultaneously, the bidi industry owners hired some people and used them as a front group and demanded not to impose tax on Bidi, and trying to make the policymakers confused over bidi taxation with fabricated information. It is to be noted that during the 2013-14 budget, the government increased supplementary tax on Bidi from 20% to 30%. However, the government had to withdraw the tax in the budget because of the industries mischievous and confusing demands. All types of tobacco and tobacco products are harmful to public health. To reduce the usage of these tobacco products, an effective taxation is a must. The government may follow the policy according to W.H.O. Finally, it is our responsibility to expose the tobacco industry’s ill tactics and assist the government and policymakers to impose effective taxation on all tobacco products. Let us expose the tobacco industry’s ill motive and play a role in protecting public health.