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PROGGA survey finds 53 cigarette brands sold at 12 price points
Survey says flexible cigarette pricing undermines tobacco tax hikes; advocates call for a single price tier to discourage smoking
Daily Sun Report, Dhaka
Published: 11 Oct 2026, 01:35 PM
PROGGA survey finds 53 cigarette brands at 12 price points in Bangladesh. Representational Image
Cigarette companies in Bangladesh are selling 53 brands at 12 different price points under the government’s four-tier pricing system, allowing smokers to switch to cheaper brands when prices rise, according to a survey by tobacco control advocacy organisation PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress).
The rapid survey, conducted among 80 retailers in eight divisional cities in September 2026, found that cigarettes in the lowest price tier alone were available at eight different prices, with the most expensive costing Tk90 — almost the same as the medium tier’s starting price of Tk92.
Anti-tobacco advocates say the existing pricing structure weakens the effectiveness of tobacco tax increases by allowing consumers to switch between brands according to their purchasing power rather than quit smoking.
They have long called for a gradual reduction in the number of cigarette price tiers from four to one, arguing that a single price tier would make tax and price increases more effective in reducing tobacco consumption, particularly among young people and low-income consumers.
An analysis of the survey findings suggests that the government’s use of the phrase “and above” in defining price tiers gives tobacco companies considerable flexibility in setting prices.
For example, the lowest tier is defined as “Tk65 and above”, while the medium tier starts at “Tk92 and above”. This allows companies to sell cigarettes in the lowest tier at prices ranging from Tk65 to Tk91, creating room for multiple price points and cheaper alternatives within the same category.
According to PROGGA, this flexibility enables tobacco companies to offer different brands at varying prices across the four tiers, limiting the impact of tax increases on cigarette affordability.
The survey recommends removing the “and above” provision from the government’s pricing structure and setting a single price point for each tier. It also calls for the gradual consolidation of the four tiers into one to strengthen the impact of tobacco taxation and discourage smoking.
The findings highlight concerns that Bangladesh’s current cigarette tax structure is not fully achieving its public health objectives, as smokers can continue purchasing cigarettes by switching to less expensive brands when prices increase.