Dhaka, April 12 -- Experts on Sunday urged the government to reduce the number of cigarette price tiers, introduce a specific tax system and hike the prices of all tobacco products in the upcoming 2026-27 national budget.

They made the suggestions during a journalists' workshop titled "Tobacco Tax and Price Measures: Budget 2026-27" held at the BMA Bhaban in the capital.

Organized jointly by research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA), the workshop was attended by 28 journalists from different print, television and online media outlets.

During the workshop, the experts said that users of low and medium tier cigarettes, mostly the poor and working class, constitute the majori...