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Tobacco tax

Resolution withdrawn after second vote

Staff Correspondent
Ruling Awami League MP Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Workers Party MP Rashed Khan Menon yesterday in parliament raised questions over the withdrawal of a private members' resolution through a second vote.
The MPs had voted against the withdrawal of the resolution on tax on tobacco in the first vote.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said she moved the proposal for the second vote in line with the rules of procedures of parliament as she was confused over the results of the first vote.
Saber placed a private members resolution titled "The opinion of parliament is that a specific tax instead of existing ad-valorem system should be imposed on all types of tobacco products".
Nine MPs from the treasury and opposition bench supported to the resolution.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal refused to accept the proposal,
saying there was no scope to impose a specific tax on tobacco products.
In the current budget, ad-valorem taxes were imposed on retail price slabs of tobacco products, he said.
“But specific taxation for tobacco products is now being assessed. Such a system can be introduced in future," Kamal said, requesting Saber to withdraw his resolution.
As Saber Hossain declined to withdraw it, the Speaker placed the resolution for voting, but the majority MPs voted against the withdrawal of the resolution.
The Speaker then drew attention of the MPs without making any decision on the disposal of the resolution.
She then went for a second voting. The majority MPs this time voted in favour of withdrawal of the resolution.
After the withdrawal, Saber raised an objection over the second voting, claiming that the issue was settled through the first one where MPs opposed the withdrawal.
"There's no instance of secondtime voting in parliament for disposal
of any resolution. I'm definitely disappointed as the finance minister didn't accept a public-interest issue. Rather, he took a stance, so that tobacco companies can make more money depriving the government of revenue."
Since there was confusion over the withdrawal of the resolution, Saber urged the Speaker to go for division vote, saying such a voting will not cause the fall of the government.
He also called upon the Speaker to keep the decision pending and examine the proceedings of the parliament regarding the disposal of the resolution.
Rashed Khan Menon supported Saber and urged the Speaker to go for a division vote.
The Speaker said her decision to hold a second-time voting was right as a confusion had been created over the issue.
"There're instances of second time voting in parliament in the past. There's no reason and scope for me to show partiality. 1 hope there will be no more confusion over the matter."