Dhaka, June 17 -- The tax and price structure imposed on tobacco and tobacco products in the proposed national budget for FY 2026-27 is insufficient to achieve the objectives of public health protection and revenue generation, said speakers.

They warned that the marginal increase in the price of low-tier cigarettes and the unchanged prices and tax rates on bidis, zarda, and gul will effectively reduce the real prices of these products, making tobacco products more affordable and potentially increasing tobacco use among young people and low-income populations.

These observations were made at a post-budget press conference on the national budget for FY 2026-27, organised by Dhaka Ahsania Mission at the Jatiya Press Club on Wednesday.

The...