Dhaka, April 25 -- The National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh and Platform Doctors Foundation have called for raising the prices of all tobacco products in the upcoming budget for the fiscal year 2024-2025 as the government spends more on treating diseases than it earns from the tobacco sector.

They made this demand during a press conference titled 'Demand for Increase in Tobacco Tax in the 2024-25 Fiscal Year Budget for a Tobacco-Free Bangladesh,' held at Jahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall, on Thursday.

They also said about 3.78 crore people, which is 35.3 percent of the population, use tobacco in the country. Additionally, around 15 lakh individuals suffer from tobacco-related illnesses.

According to the National Heart Foundation of Bangl...