According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco use increases the risk of contracting coronavirus and becoming seriously ill with Covid-19 infection. At present, about 40 million tobacco users in the country are at serious risk of coronavirus infection. Therefore, it has become necessary to update the current tobacco control law.
This has been recommended by MPs, economists, cultural personalities, journalists and public health experts at a webinar titled “Covid-19 and the need for a strong tobacco control law: Bangladesh perspective.”
Anti-tobacco organisation Progga (Knowledge for Progress) and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) jointly organised the webinar.
According to the proposals made in the webinar by Progga and ATMA 100 percent smoke-free environment should be ensured by banning smoking in all public places, workplaces and public transport, including the abolition of designated smoking areas; display of tobacco products at sales centers should be prohibited, complete ban should be imposed on tobacco company's social responsibility or CSR program; retail sale of cigarette sticks and unpacked jorda-gul should be prohibited; emerging tobacco products including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTP) should be banned and strict restrictions should be imposed on the packaging of tobacco products, including increasing the size of pictorial health warnings.
Saber Hossain Chowdhury, chairman, parliamentary standing committee on the ministry of environment, forests and climate change said, “I agree with the amendment proposals. This is essential for achieving a tobacco-free Bangladesh. Given the opportunity to amend, if we can insert the word eradication in place of control in the title of the law, it will be more consistent with the Prime Minister’s declaration of a tobacco-free Bangladesh.”
Prominent economist and convener of the National Anti-Tobacco Forum Dr Kazi Khaliquzzaman Ahmed said “Banning the retail sale of tobacco is an important proposal. It must be done. In addition to amending the law, work needs to be done to raise awareness about the harms of tobacco.”
Renowned actor Abul Hayat said that young people think smoking is smart but actually it is very harmful.
“I would urge the government not only to think about getting tax from tobacco but also to think that millions of people will die of cancer due to tobacco. That is why we need to make the tobacco control law stronger,” he added.
Nadira Kiron, Co-convener of ATMA moderated the programme and Hasan Shahriar, head of the Tobacco Control Project, presented the proposals to amend the Tobacco Control Act.
