Tobacco Taxation and Policy Reforms – Lessons from Sri Lanka

Take Turn Foundation (TTF) was delighted to facilitate the webinar “Tobacco Taxation and Policy Reforms – Lessons from Sri Lanka,” organized by the Bureau of Economic Research (BER), University of Dhaka, and the Bangladesh Network for Tobacco Tax Policy (BNTTP).

The webinar provided a valuable platform for sharing experiences, evidence, and perspectives on tobacco taxation and policy reforms between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, while strengthening regional collaboration on tobacco control.

Dr. Nasiruddin Ahamed opened the discussion by sharing his thoughts and welcoming participants to the webinar. Mr. Raj Prabu Kulendran, Lead Economist at Verité Research, Sri Lanka, provided valuable insights into tobacco taxation and pricing, drawing comparisons between the Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi contexts. He highlighted key strengths and weaknesses in tobacco taxation and pricing approaches and helped participants better understand the policy landscape.

Dr. Nishan De Mel, Executive Director of Verité Research, further enriched the discussion by sharing his extensive experience and perspectives on addressing tobacco control challenges in Bangladesh, drawing from his longstanding engagement in tobacco taxation and tobacco control in Sri Lanka.

As Take Turn Foundation, we were pleased to help bridge these partners and facilitate this knowledge-sharing opportunity. We also contributed to the discussion on advocacy pathways and the role of civil society in building political and policy support for effective tobacco taxation.

We are proud to have contributed to this important regional dialogue and hope that the exchange will broaden perspectives, strengthen collaboration between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and create opportunities for future joint initiatives.

Mr. Syed Mahbubul Alam, Senior Technical Advisor at Vital Strategies, also emphasized the importance of regional coalitions in addressing the tobacco epidemic during panel discussion.

We greatly appreciated the active engagement of participants, particularly during the Q&A session, which demonstrated the strong interest and commitment of researchers, academics, and practitioners towards advancing effective tobacco control measures.

A special thanks to Ms. Ishrat Zahan Aishi for her excellent coordination and moderation, which contributed significantly to the successful delivery of the webinar.

At Take Turn Foundation, we remain committed to regional partnerships that facilitate knowledge and experience sharing and strengthen collective efforts to address tobacco industry interference and advance evidence-based tobacco control policies across South Asia.

Looking forward to many more regional collaborations and meaningful partnerships for stronger tobacco control and better public health.