Speakers at an event here on Monday stressed the need for strengthening and reinforcing the tobacco control laws immediately to save the young generation.
Unnayan Shamannay, a research and advocacy organization, arranged a press conference titled “Reinforcing Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Act,” at the National Press Club here in the city, said a release.
Chairing the press conference, Dr Atiur Rahman, former governor of Bangladesh Bank, said the opportunists are spreading propaganda that if the amendment of the Tobacco Control Act is finalised, there may be a loss of jobs and impose a negative impact on the macro economy.
“If this amendment is finalized, then Bangladesh's tobacco control law will be up to international standards and will not significantly harm small traders' businesses and workers' employment. Rather, the reduction in tobacco use will have a positive effect on the overall economy,” he said.
National Press Club General Secretary Shyamal Dutta said tobacco companies give wrong information to the government about the decrease in revenue, because of which the government is afraid to enforce the law.
Naba Bikram Kishore Tripura, former chairman of Hill Tracts Development Board, stressed the need for the creation of a roadmap to implement the commitment of making Bangladesh tobacco-free by 2040.
UNDP Bangladesh’s Country Economist Dr Nazneen Ahmed said the harmful effects of tobacco should be discussed in the textbook. “Children should be taught about the harmful effects of tobacco.”
Former footballer Sheikh Mohammad Aslam, journalist Munni Saha, dramatist Ruma Modak, and first female football coach Rehana Parveen spoke on the occasion.
The event was organised in the support of the Health and Family Welfare Ministry as it has attempted to reinforce the draft amendment of the “Tobacco Control Act” to pledge a “tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040”. To protect public health and the economy, this effort has already received huge admiration.
The speakers said the attempt to reinforce the amendment process reflects the government’s respect towards ensuring public interest in a greater way.
Since tobacco is responsible for taking the lives of around 400 people each day in the country, they pleaded with the relevant people to finalize the amendment quickly.
They suggested abolishing Designated Smoking Areas (DSA) and forbidding single-stick cigarette selling will protect people from passive smoking as well as discourage youngsters to refrain from smoking.
