Muhith to consider fat tax on junk food

Finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told parliament on Tuesday that he would consider the imposition of 14.5 per cent ‘fat tax’ on junk food while preparing the budget for 2017-18 financial year.
The junk food and fast food are gaining huge response from people as it is cheap but these foods are unhealthy, Muhith said replaying to a call attention notice placed by lawmaker Nurjahan Begum.
The lawmaker demanded 14.5 per cent fat tax on junk food holding the food responsible for increasing obesity and terming it unhealthy food.
‘It is a good idea, I never had thought about imposing tax on junk food. I will look into the matter while preparing the next budget,’ Muhith said.
He said that they would need to prepare a list of the junk and fast food items in a month or two in order to impose such tax, he added. 
Food habits are changing fast, many people are taking junk and fast food risking health hazard including risk of non-communicable diseases, Nurjahan said. 
Fat tax can be imposed on different types of beverage, packet foods, saturated fat contained foods, potatoes chips, chocolates, pizza, burger and others, she said.
If the price of these food increases consumption of these food would decrease, she added. 

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