Bidi workers of Tangail district staged a human chain in front of the National Press Club in the capital on Tuesday, demanding increased tax on all types of tobacco products in the upcoming budget for FY 2023-24.
They called on the stakeholders to protect public health and implement the PM’s pledge to make Bangladesh tobacco-free before 2040.
The bidi workers’ leaders in a human chain also demanded alternative employment for the workers to reduce the health damages caused by tobacco.
According to the World Health Organization research on tobacco use in Bangladesh, if the government reforms the existing tax system on tobacco products in the fiscal year 2023-24, cigarette consumption will decrease from 15.1% to 13.92%. About 14 lakh adults will be encouraged to quit smoking and about 10 lakh youth will be discouraged from starting smoking and in the long run, 4 lakh 88 thousand adults and 4 lakh 92 thousand youth will be saved from premature death.