Dhaka, March 24 -- Research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) have urged policymakers to reduce the number of cigarette price tiers from 4 (four) to 3 (three) in the upcoming national budget for FY 2025-26.

During the event at the National Press Club, speakers said that the existing four-tiered price system in cigarette bars any tax and pricing measure from playing an effective role.

Against this backdrop, the low and medium tiers of cigarettes should be merged and prices for the new tier should be hiked so that it can contribute additional revenue to government coffers and play a role in discouraging cigarette use among the youth and the poor demographic.

PROGGA and ATMA a...