Sandhani calls for effective tobacco price hike to discourage youth smoking

Sandhani, the Independence Award-winning student organization, has called for an effective increase in tobacco prices in the upcoming fiscal year 2026–27 national budget to discourage tobacco use among young people.

Sandhani raised the demand at a press conference titled “Effective Increase in Tobacco Prices to Discourage Youth Tobacco Initiation: Sandhani’s Budget Proposals for FY 2026–27,” held at the Tofazzal Hossain Manik Mia Hall of the National Press Club on Wednesday.

National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh provided technical support at the event.

Sandhani proposed merging the low and medium cigarette tiers and setting the retail price of a 10-stick cigarette pack at Tk100, along with a specific supplementary duty of Tk4 per pack. It also recommended setting the prices of high-tier and premium-tier cigarette packs at Tk150 and Tk200 respectively, says a press release.

Dr Humaira Jamil Him, Adviser to the Sandhani Central Council, delivered the welcome speech, while the keynote presentation was presented by Dr Mukarrabin-Haq Nibir. The event was chaired by Dr Sadikur Rahman Ifat, General Secretary of the Sandhani Central Council and an intern doctor at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital.

Public health expert Dr Mushtaq Hossain and Professor Dr Sohel Reza Choudhury, Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Research at the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute, also spoke at the event.

According to the keynote presentation, Bangladesh has the highest tobacco use rate among South Asian countries, with 35.3% of adults using tobacco products. Around 37.8 million adults currently consume tobacco in the country, while tobacco use among adolescents aged 13–15 remains a serious concern. Tobacco-related diseases cause nearly 200,000 premature deaths every year in Bangladesh, according to The Tobacco Atlas, accounting for around 18% of total deaths nationwide.

The presentation also noted that the government earned nearly Tk41,000 crore in tobacco tax revenue in 2024. However, the economic loss caused by tobacco use and production—including healthcare costs and environmental damage—amounted to approximately Tk87,000 crore, more than double the revenue earned from the sector.

It was further highlighted that between 2021 and 2023, prices of essential commodities such as flour, eggs, and powdered milk increased by 30 to nearly 76%, while tobacco product prices increased at a much lower rate. During the same period, prices of low-tier cigarettes increased by only 15.38%, high-tier cigarettes by around 11%, and zarda tobacco by approximately 13%. As a result, tobacco products have become relatively more affordable despite rising inflation.

Dr Mushtaq Hossain said that increasing tobacco prices through effective tax measures is one of the most effective ways to prevent young people from starting smoking. He added that the proposed tax and price reforms could encourage nearly 500,000 adults to quit smoking and discourage more than 372,000 young people from initiating smoking. In the long run, the reforms could help prevent around 370,000 premature deaths.

Professor Dr Sohel Reza Choudhury said that young people make up nearly one-fourth of Bangladesh’s population, while tobacco use among people aged 18–24 stands at 22.3%. He noted that the easy availability and low prices of tobacco products are encouraging tobacco use among youths. He also said that the existing four-tier cigarette tax structure is complex and ineffective, allowing smokers to switch to cheaper brands easily. Therefore, effective tobacco tax reform is necessary to reduce the affordability and accessibility of tobacco products.

He further said that implementing the proposed reforms could generate an additional Tk44,000 crore in government revenue, which could significantly support the country’s public health sector.

In his closing remarks, Dr Sadikur Rahman Ifat said that effective tobacco price increases would help discourage young people from smoking and reduce the future burden of non-communicable diseases and premature deaths in Bangladesh.

Members of Sandhani, anti-tobacco activists, and journalists attended the press conference.