He placed the statistics in the House replying to a query of Awami League MP Gloria Jharna Sarker (Women Seat-30).

In reply to another question from AL MP Ahasanul Islam Titu (Tangail-6), the health minister said the draft of the Healthcare and Safety Bill has been finalised to ensure workplace safety of physicians and provide quality treatment to patients. “Soon, it’ll be placed before the Cabinet for its approval,” he said.

Replying to a query from ruling party MP Kh. Momota Hena Lovely (Women Seat-32), he said Bangladesh annually incurs financial loss of Tk 30,570 crore due to diseases and untimely death caused by tobacco, which is 1.4 percent of the national budget of 2017-18 fiscal year.

He placed the statistics citing the study, ‘The Economic Cost of Tobacco Users in Bangladesh: A Health Cost Approach’, which was conducted in 2018.

The study also showed that now some 15 lakh adult men and women are suffering from various fatal diseases caused due to the consumption of tobacco, while over 61,000 children are suffering from such fatal diseases for passive smoking, he said.

According to Tobacco Atlas 2018, over 161,000 people die by tobacco-related diseases in Bangladesh every year, said Zahid Maleque said.

“A draft roadmap has been prepared to build a smoke-free Bangladesh by 2040,” he said.

In reply to another question from AL MP M Abdul Latif (Chattogram-11), the health minister said steps have been taken to set up ICU units at all district hospitals.