Public Health on Top

Tobacco companies have already started employing a wide variety of ill tactics to thwart any move to increase tobacco taxes and prices in the upcoming budget. Very recently, the Managing Director (MD) of British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) delivered a speech during an event organized by the National Board of Revenues (NBR) on the occasion of International Customs Day. The event was participated by an influential Cabinet Member. BATB MD was also seen attending an IBA Alumni Club event, along with a heavyweight Member of Parliament and other government officials. It should be noted that, BATB has been trying to hinder tobacco tax increase or any other tobacco control measure via its involvement in a number of government agencies and business associations.

As BATB rubs shoulders with big guns, bidi industry has its own set of manipulation strategies. Setting eyes on the upcoming national budget, bidi companies have started pushing their workers onto streets to do their bidding. From this so-called workers' protests, demands to reduce bidi taxes, withdraw advance income tax, and introduce a three-tiered tax structure for bidi, are being raised. Notably, there has been no tax increase on bidis in the last five fiscal years.

It is a well-known tactic for tobacco companies to spread lies and disinformation to influence budgetary measures regarding tobacco taxes and prices. The policymakers must remain cautious on this issue. This is because increasing tobacco products’ prices through taxation is the most effective tool for tobacco control. It will be impossible to realize the Prime Minister's vision to build a tobacco-free country by 2040 if we fail to implement such a measure.