An event was organized to express solidarity with the high tax imposition on tobacco products at Satkhira today on 28 April 2019, Sunday. Honorable Councilor, Ward number 9 of Satkhira municipality, project staff members of the DAM PEPSEP project and health workers were present at the occasion. Mr Sheikh Shafik-ud Daoula, Ward Councilor; PEPSEP Satkhira Area Manager Mr Syed Mijanur Islam; PEPSEP Central MIS Officer Engr Md Nizam Uddin and other guests presented their valuable speech voicing solidarity with the activity.
| The speakers emphasized on – |
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| 1. Implementing tax should based on the Market Retail Price (MRP) value of tobacco products |
| 2. Reducing the cigarette tier from four to two |
| 3. Increasing “supplementary duty ” tax based on inflation and the raise in “GDP” structure |
| 4. Easier tax structure focusing on reduction of the discrimination among the tobacco products (prices of filtered/non filtered bidi, cigarettes, tobacco leaf, gul etc should also be included with tax) |
| 5. Every kind of smoke-less tobacco product should be brought under the government taxation system |
| 6. Implementing a simple and comprehensible tobacco taxation strategy (for five years) that will contribute to reducing tobacco usage and in increasing national revenue |
| 7. Banning of import, manufacture and use of e-cigarette and all forms of heated (IQS) tobacco products |
| 8. Implementation of stronger licensing and tracing system, and monitoring of compliance of the tobacco control law, leading to immediate fine and other punishments for any kind of violation |