The Health Services Division of the ministry issued a letter to the Industries Ministry in this regard, asking to implement the request and suspend the special permissions given to the tobacco companies recently allowing them to run their businesses.

Read also: Ban tobacco sales, marketing during COVID-19 Pandemic: Citizens to PM

According to the letter, the special permit issued by the Industries Ministry to the tobacco companies allowing them to produce, supply and market their products has made the situation complex when the HSD is trying its best to identify and treat Covid-19 patients.

Although the authorities banned mass gathering and movement from one place to another to limit transmission of Covid-19, the tobacco companies are disobeying the instruction under the special permission, it added.

Read also: Coronavirus: All You Need to Know

The HSD also cited India as an example for the suspension of tobacco products. 

World Health Organisation (WHO) identified tobacco products as favourable for the spread of coronavirus and suggested discouraging their use. The risk of being infected with the coronavirus is much higher among those who smoke, WHO noted recently.

Besides, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed firm determination to make Bangladesh a tobacco-free country by 2040. That is why the production and sale of tobacco products should be halted, added the letter.

During the COVID-19 disease, the lung is massively attacked, but the damage does not always stop there. Many recovered patients have presented partially reduced lung function as a late consequence

Bangladesh has seen a spike in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths in recent weeks. On Tuesday, the country announced detection of 1,251 more patients in a span of 24 hours, raising the total number of cases to 25,121.

The virus also claimed 21 more lives during the period, pushing up the national tally to 370.