A strong tobacco control law is a must to reduce the number of deaths caused by tobacco as the priority of public health is above everything else, Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi said on Sunday.
The minister made the comment during a meeting with delegations from PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) at the secretariat in Dhaka, according to a press release.
Dastagir also affirmed his ministry's full support behind the health ministry's attempt to amend the tobacco control law.
During the meeting, PROGGA and ATMA informed the minister that currently, the prevalence of tobacco use stands at 35.3 per cent (37.8 million) of the adult population (15 years old and above).
Tobacco-related deaths and diseases cost the economy dearly since the financial toll is much higher than the revenue generated from the tobacco sector.
Realising the extent of tobacco’s devastation, the prime minister voiced her commitment to build a tobacco-free country by 2040 and accordingly provided the directive to bring time-befitting changes to the tobacco control law, read the release.
Following the clear directive from the prime minister, the health ministry took the initiative to amend the law.
Some of the proposals included in the draft amendment are — eliminating Designated Smoking Areas (DSAs) in all public places and transports, banning the display of tobacco products, so-called corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes of tobacco companies, the sale of loose tobacco products, production, import and sale of e-cigarettes and other vaping products, and increasing the area allotted for graphic health warning (GHW) to 90 per cent from existing 50 per cent.
Md Mostafizur Rahman, lead policy advisor, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Mortuza Haider Liton, convener, ATMA, Md Shafiqul Islam, business in-charge, Banglatribune, and Md Hasan Shahriar, programme head, PROGGA were present at the meeting.
