Death Marketing-1

Tobacco Companies Awarded Again!

While it is a legal obligation to pay value-added tax (VAT), the government's VAT authority has awarded three bidi companies for paying the highest amount of VAT. On the other hand, the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB), a body under the Ministry of Commerce, has awarded BATB for the sixth time. Such policies of these government bodies to award tobacco companies are in grave conflict with the Prime Minister's vision of building a tobacco-free country. It should be noted that the Ministry of Industries has recently declared tobacco company ineligible for the President's Award for Industrial Development. Other government bodies should follow suit and stop showering tobacco companies with prestigious accolades.