“Tobacco acts as a significant obstacle to public health protection and the achievement of SDG targets. Therefore, amending the tobacco control law and its strict implementation are crucial to achieving SDGs by 2030,” said Prof. Syed Md. Akram Hussain, member of the Health Sector Reform Commission.
He made this statement as the keynote speaker at the press conference on ‘Tobacco Control Law in the Current Context’ organized by Dhaka Ahsania Mission at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) on Sunday morning (February 23, 2025).
He further emphasized that political will, strict enforcement of the law, and reforms in shareholding are essential for the success of tobacco control. Additionally, government officials must sever their ties with the tobacco industry and strengthen the Conflict of Interest (COI) policy. Furthermore, tobacco taxes should be increased, plain packaging implemented, and awareness programs for youth accelerated.
The press conference was chaired by Iqbal Masud, Director of the Health and WASH Sector at Dhaka Ahsania Mission. Other speakers included Md. Mahfuzur Rahman Milon, Acting Secretary of the Bangladesh Supreme Court Lawyers Association and Deputy Attorney General, and Mynul Hasan Sohel, General Secretary of Dhaka Reporters Unity and Senior Journalist of Daily Inquilab.
In his main presentation, Mohammad Shariful Islam, Coordinator of the Tobacco Control Project, stated that tobacco use among the population aged 15 and above in Bangladesh is 35.3%. Every year, 161,000 people die from tobacco-related diseases, and nearly 400,000 people are disabled due to tobacco use. Additionally, 42.7% of the population is exposed to secondhand smoke. According to research published by the American Cancer Society in 2019, the economic loss due to tobacco use (medical expenses and lost productivity) in the 2017-18 fiscal year was 30,560 crore BDT, which is significantly higher than the revenue generated from this sector (22,810 crore BDT) during the same period.
Mahfuzur Rahman Milon stated that tobacco use is increasingly posing a threat to public health, the economy, and the environment in Bangladesh. Therefore, the existing Tobacco Control (Smoking and Tobacco Use) Act, 2005 (amended in 2013) must be updated.
Mynul Hasan Sohel mentioned that although the advertisement and promotion of tobacco products are prohibited, the lack of effective implementation has led to the youth getting addicted due to the deceptive strategies and flashy advertisements of tobacco companies. The government should protect youth from the grasp of tobacco companies.
In his concluding remarks, Iqbal Masud, the chairperson, stated that passing the amendment to the Tobacco Control Law drafted by the Ministry of Health, which includes eliminating designated smoking areas, prohibiting the display of tobacco products at sales points, stopping the retail sale of bidis and cigarettes, protecting youth from e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products, halting CSR activities of tobacco companies, and increasing the warning label on cigarette packs from 50% to 90%, will significantly contribute to public health protection and the achievement of SDG targets.
