According to a guideline formulated by the Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives Ministry, license has been made mandatory also for retail tobacco sale in Bangladesh.
The local government bodies, including city corporation, municipality and Union Parishad, have been empowered to issue the license to the sellers of the tobacco products.
As per the guideline, the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) is going to begin implementation of the mandatory licensing system for retail shops of tobacco products in the areas covered by the DSCC.
Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, mayor of the DSCC; has said that license is being made mandatory for the sale of tobacco products in the DSCC areas. He made the announcement at a views-exchange meeting with a delegation of the Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) on Thursday.
Members of the delegation during the meeting said that the LGRD ministry has formulated the guideline titled ‘Tobacco Control Implementation Guidelines for Local Government Institutes’ where licensing for tobacco sale has been made mandatory.
Hailing LGRD ministry’s step, the anti-tobacco activists said the guideline will play a vital role in regulating sales of tobacco products which will ultimately save the interests of public health.
The BATA delegation members said that if it is implemented properly, it will help to make Bangladesh a tobacco-free country by 2040 as announced by the Prime Minister. Besides, the revenue of the city corporation and other local government bodies will also increase.
Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said that the licensing process for the sale of tobacco products will start in DSCC areas from this month (February) in accordance with the guideline. Sayedabad Bus Terminal will be made a non-smoking area as a public place.
Mizanur Rahman, chief executive officer of the DSCC; was present at the time, while the BATA delegation consists of Helal Ahmed, acting coordinator of BATA; Aminul Islam Bakul of DAS; Shagufta Sultana of Aid Foundation; AKM Khalilullah and Firoz Ahmed of NATAB; Samiul Hassan Shajib of WBB Trust and Abu Raihan of MANAS.
The BATA delegation members handed over publications on tobacco control to the DSCC Mayor during the meeting.
As per the Article 8.1 of ‘Tobacco Control Implementation Guidelines for Local Government Institutes’, separate licenses must be issued for the sale of tobacco products or for the sale and purchase of tobacco products and renewal of such licenses by application subject to payment of fee every year fixed by the local government bodies. According to the guideline, tobacco product shops and sale outlets for cigarettes within 100 meters of educational institutions is also banned
With the power conferred under this guideline, the local government bodies, including Union Parishads (UPs), municipalities and city corporations, will be able to enforce the ban on tobacco products sale in the shops near the educational institutions.
