Treasury bench MP Saber Hossain Chowdhury on Sunday sought intervention of the Speaker in declaring the national parliament building as a smoking-free zone, reports UNB.
Taking part in the general discussion on the proposed national budget for fiscal 2014-15, the ruling party MP also made a proposal for keeping a specific place for the smokers in parliament building apart from imposing higher tax on cigarettes and bidi.
Advocating for scrapping the price slab system, Saber proposed imposition of Tk 63 duty on all kinds of 10-piece cigarette packet while at least Tk 6 duty on all kinds of bidi packet having 25 pieces.
The MP from the capital (Dhaka-9) also alleged that the multinational tobacco companies are being facilitated to make more profits and they are also providing confusing information.
Saber Hossan said if duty on higher rate is imposed on tobacco, then it would be possible to check immature deaths, reducing the cost of tobacco-related diseases and their treatment alongside boosting the government's revenue collection.
Claming that about 81 percent of the country's people demand imposition of higher duty on tobacco, he said the price of cigarettes is the lowest in Bangladesh compared to Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Nepal, Indonesia, the Maldives and Myanmar as WHO says.
Make JS bldg \\\'smoking-free zone\\\'
FE Team | Published: June 23, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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