Cigarette prices go up

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Jubair Hasan
Prices of different brands of cigarettes have gone up by nearly 20 per cent in retail market on rumours that taxes on tobacco products will be increased in the national budget.
Cigarette sellers said Wednesday, a day before the budget, that they charged 50 paisa to one taka extra for each of the tobacco sticks as the distributors increased the prices.
Dealers, however, claimed it is the company that has raised the prices on news that the government will raise taxes on such items in the budget for 2010-2011 fiscal year, which will be announced today.
Smokers across the country have been paying Tk 5.50-Tk 6.0 for each stick of Benson and Hedges brand against Tk 5.0 while Tk 3.50 to Tk 4.0 was charged for each of the cigarette of Gold Leaf brand whose actual price was Tk 3.0.
Due to the unofficial price increase, heavy bargaining between the smokers and shopkeepers were seen at most of the cigarette outlets in the city and elsewhere in the country.
Many smokers alleged that tobacco dealers hoarded cigarettes in their stores and created artificial crisis in the market.
"The market should be monitored closely, as the government is yet to increase tax on tobacco items," Masud Talukder, a smoker, said.