A petition signed by nearly 10,000 anti-tobacco youth representatives has been submitted to the office of the finance adviser, demanding the immediate passage of the proposed amendments to the tobacco control law and the cancellation of the government’s decision to meet with tobacco company representatives in violation of the international treaty.
Copies of the petition were also submitted to the chief adviser, health adviser, information and broadcasting adviser, and youth and sports adviser. The petition was formally handed over on Sunday by Nari Maitree, Development Organization of Rural Poor- DORP, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, and National Heart Foundation.
The petition was endorsed by around 10,000 students from various public and private universities and colleges in Dhaka.
To align the existing Tobacco Control Act of 2005 (amended in 2013) with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the health services division has proposed several amendments. Key proposals include: banning smoking zones in public places, completely prohibiting tobacco product displays and advertisements, protecting youth from the harmful impacts of e-cigarettes, banning the sale of single-stick or loose cigarettes, outlawing tobacco company corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, and expanding pictorial health warnings on packaging to 90%. The draft was developed through multiple consultations with health experts, civil society, and other stakeholders, and was later published online for public opinion before finalization. In line with this, the government has already banned the import of e-cigarettes and announced a halt to domestic production.
Mohammad Zobair Hasan, deputy executive director of DORP, remarked: “According to Article 18(1) of the Constitution, the state has the responsibility to safeguard citizens’ health. But recently, the passage of the amendments seems to have turned into a bargaining process between the government and tobacco companies.”
He added: “Today’s youth are vocal against all forms of irregularities. In that spirit, authorities must take this demand from anti-tobacco youth seriously.”
Youth representative Naimur Rahman Emon stated: “According to the WHO Tobacco Atlas, nearly 161,000 people die each year in Bangladesh due to tobacco-related diseases — which means 442 deaths every single day. GATS 2017 also shows that 38.4 million people are exposed to secondhand smoke in public transport, restaurants, and public places despite being non-smokers. This alarming reality makes amending the law an urgent necessity.”
Shahin Akhter Dolly, executive director of Nari Maitree, noted: “Bangladesh was the first country to sign the WHO FCTC in 2004 and consented to its Article 5.3 implementation guidelines in 2008, which clearly require policymaking to remain free from tobacco industry interference. Yet we see that the government’s decision to meet with tobacco companies violates this treaty. This decision must be revoked immediately.”
Passing the amendments will significantly reduce tobacco use in Bangladesh, improve public health outcomes, and help build a healthier, tobacco-free nation.