Tangail: A human chain was formed in the district town demanding an increase of the prices of all tobacco products and amending the tobacco tax structure in the upcoming 2025-26 national budget. The demonstration took place in front of the Tangail District Press Club and was organized by the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor (DORP), as mentioned in a press release.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the event saw participation from people across various sectors, including anti-tobacco activists, journalists, civil society members, and leaders of the ‘Bidi’ workers community. Rubina Islam, Program Coordinator of DORP’s Tobacco Control Project, moderated the program. Notable speakers included Nazmul Haque, President of the Tangail Regional Bidi Workers’ Union, Shah Alam Mia, General Secretary, Jahangir Alam, Member, journalist Borhan Talukder, and civil society representative Nur Alam Palash.
The speakers pointed out that almost 90% of cigarettes available in the market are from the low and medium tiers, making them more accessible to the youth. They called on the government to unify these tiers and set the retail price at Taka 90, with the premium tier priced at Taka 190. They emphasized that adopting this tax and price proposal in the upcoming budget could deter approximately 1.7 million young individuals from starting smoking and potentially prevent around 870,000 premature deaths in the long run.
Additionally, Bidi factory workers at the demonstration expressed their intention to leave the hazardous profession and urged the government to provide them with alternative employment opportunities.