Proposed budget frustrates anti-tobacco campaigners
Anti-tobacco campaigners said the proposed budget will fail to protect people from smoking-caused illness and to collect extra revenue
The proposed budget does not reflect effective measures to deter the youth from smoking, or the public from using tobacco products, said two anti-tobacco organisations in their immediate reaction to the announcement of FY2020-21's budget.
Terming the budget frustrating, the organisations – Progga and Atma – said youths will feel encouraged to smoke as low price cigarettes are still available under the lower-slab.
"The government could have earned up to Tk11,000 crore in extra revenue if the budget had slapped on the hiked taxation plans proposed by the health ministry," said the organisations, adding nearly six lakh immature deaths also could have been averted in the long-run.
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Referring to the World health Organization (WHO), anti-smoking campaigners said tobacco consumption has been identified as heightening susceptibility to Covid-19 infection and intensifying breathing problems.
However, the budget in this pandemic crisis does not reflect the health safety measures, added the organisations.
