The Development Organisation of the Rural Poor (DORP) has urged the government to ban retail sale of all types of tobacco products to build tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040.
The anti-tobacco national NGO also proposed abolishing smoking in all public places and public transport; banning of social responsibility activities of tobacco companies; prohibiting of display of tobacco products in sales outlets; prohibiting e-cigarettes or Emerging heated tobacco products import, production, use and marketing.
Addressing a webinar on Thursday, DORP Tobacco Control Project Program Coordinator Rubina Islam proposed imposing strict rules on packaging of tobacco products, including increasing the size of graphical health warnings, to implement plain packaging.
The webinar organised by DORP which was attended by members of the Development Journalists Forum of Bangladesh (DJFB).
Speaking as chief guest, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) Bangladesh Grants Manager Abdus Salam Miah said, “We have been working as partners of the government to build a tobacco free Bangladesh. The Health Ministry should amend the Tobacco Control Act properly finding out weaknesses. And, journalists can play an important role in policy-making level and create awareness among people.”
DORP acting director Zobair Hasan said, “GATS (2016) report says that around 3.78 crore people in Bangladesh use tobacco. Indirect smoking and tobacco use also pose a health risk as the same number of direct tobacco users.”
DJFB President FHM Humayun Kabir said, “Working with anti-smoking and anti-tobacco content is always challenging. But, as it relates to public health, we consider it as our responsibility. We will always publish various reports and features to strengthen the tobacco control law. ”
