Cigarette prices up

---

Prices of different brands of cigarettes have risen at retail and wholesale levels as the tobacco manufacturers have re-fixed the prices following the hike in excise duty by the government.

Some wholesalers are selling a pack (20 sticks) of Benson & Hedges (lights and special filter) at Tk 87 to Tk 90 although the manufacturing company -- British American Tobacco Bangladesh-has fixed the retail price of the brand at Tk 82.

In retail level, a stick of Benson & Hedges is being sold at Tk 5.0 while Gold Leaf at Tk 3.0.

As per the revised retail sales price (RSP), the prices of John Player Gold Leaf has been fixed at Tk 52 against the previous rate of Tk 46, Pall Mall (lights and menthol) Capstan at Tk 43 against Tk 38, Star Filter and Scissors Filter at 26.50 against Tk 25.00, Star (10s) at Tk 13.25 against Tk 12.50 and Viceroy at Tk 15 against Tk 13.98.

The RSP of Dhaka Tobacco produced CASTLE has been fixed at Tk 43 against the previous rate of Tk 36, Shaikh at Tk 7.47 against Tk 6.99 and K2 at Tk 6.47 against Tk 6.

The price of NAVY remained unchanged.

The government through a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) has changed the excise slabs of cigarettes with effect from July 1. For low slab, the price (per 10s) has been increased to Tk 6.50-Tk 7.50 from Tk 6.00-6.99, Medium slab to Tk 13.25-Tk 14-25 from Tk 12.50-Tk 13-49, High slab to Tk 21.00-28.00 from Tk 19.00-Tk 26.49 and for Premium slab the price has been fixed to Tk 41-above from Tk 35-above.