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Activists laud as govt disqualifies tobacco companies from President's Award


Published : 20 Aug 2021 12:45 AM | Updated : 20 Aug 2021 11:57 AM

The Ministry of Industries (MoInd) has recently issued a new policy disqualifying companies manufacturing tobacco and tobacco products from the prestigious President's Award for Industrial Development.

This pro-public health move has come from the MoInd at such a time when Bangladesh is facing Covid-19 pandemic and the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that tobacco helps spread Covid-19 infection, discouraging its use.

"MoInd's decision is one that is time-fitting and laudable," PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) said in a statement. 

Despite strong protests from PROGGA and other anti-tobacco organisations, multinational tobacco company British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) has been receiving this award for the last several years.

It should be noted that the company has allegedly been exploiting the President's 0.64 percent share to extract business facilities. 

Tobacco claims 126,000 lives prematurely every year. 

Realizing the devastations caused by tobacco, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared her vision to build a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040.

Supporting the latest move from MoInd, ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA said, the other ministries should follow the footsteps of MoInd and adopt a ban on bestowing awards on tobacco traders and companies.