Dhaka, May 8 -- Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) has called for reducing the number of cigarette price tiers from existing 04 (four) to 03 (three) in the upcoming 2025-26 FY national budget.

The low and medium tiers of cigarettes, if merged into one, would discourage the youth and the poor from getting hooked on smoking and simultaneously would increase revenue inflow for the government. Experts said this Wednesday during a meeting of ATMA members, held at the Bishwa Sahitya Kendra in the Capital.

As per the proposals presented during the meeting, the low and medium tiers should be merged into one and prices for 10 sticks of the merged tier should be set at BDT 90.

The retail price of high-tier cigarettes should be kept at existing B...