Dhaka, May 15 -- The DORP Youth Forum on Thursday called for the merger of the low and medium tiers of cigarette pricing and set the minimum retail price at TK 90 for a 10-stick pack.

The demand was raised during a human chain held in front of the National Press Club urging the government to increase the price and tax on all tobacco products and to reform the existing tobacco tax policy in the upcoming 2025-26 national budget.

Over a hundred university students participated in the demonstration, held as part of the campaign to achieve a tobacco-free Bangladesh and protect public health, as per a UNB report.

Speakers at the event stated that the affordability and easy availability of cigarettes in Bangladesh have significantly contribut...