Activists of Tamak Birodhi Nari Jote (Anti-tobacco Alliance of Women) formed a human chain in front of the office of National Board of Revenue (NBR) at Segunbagicha on Thursday morning demanding withdrawal of the decision by NBR of awarding Kaus Mia, producer of toxic chewing tobacco product Hakimpuri Zarda, as the top Tax Payer of the country.
The speakers during the human chain programme said, various anti-tobacco organisations had protested honoring Kaus Mia as the top tax payer last year but even after countrywide protests demanding withdrawal of name of the harmful tobacco producer Kaus Mia from the list of awarding him as the top tax payer this year as well, NBR, in violation of the rule of the country and the World Health Organisation, was determined to reward him which, they mentioned, would only encourage the increased use of tobacco and tobacco products in the country. Presided over by Sima Das Simu, Member of Tabnij, the Human Chain programme was attended and addressed, among others, by Hamidul Islam of Orcho Foundation, Helal Ahmed Ahmed of Prottasha, Shuov Karmaker of WBB Trust, Imon Rahman of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, Abdus Salam of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, Mohiuddin of Dhaka International University, Rokeya Begum of Ubinig, Sultana Begum, Kazi Renu Ara, Setu Ahmed of National Heart Foundation and Mehedi Hasan of Progga.
The speakers at the meeting disclosed that Zarda is a smokeless tobacco product. More than 20 percent males and women of the country consume the product regularly. They mentioned, it was the 'dual policy ' of honouring a tobacco producer in the country as the top tax payer because the government in principle has taken to ban use of all tobaccco and tobacco product from the country from 2040. Consumption of zarda and another tobacco product 'gul' regularly causes cancer to liver and the gum of teeth
