Progga, which coordinates anti-tobacco organisations in Bangladesh with the support of the Bloomberg Philanthropies, said the proposal was “awfully against the public health". It said the proposed budget would "satisfy the multinational company like British American Tobacco that produces most of the high brand cigarettes". “Moreover, the proposed tax structure will ultimately benefit the multinational tobacco companies. The British American Tobacco Bangladesh or BATB is the only multinational tobacco producer that makes almost all types of cigarettes in Bangladesh. Progga said the long demand for a single tobacco tax structure from anti-tobacco organisations has not been reflected in the proposed budget too.

Source: bd News24 June 01, 2017 14:37 UTC