Although the existing ‘Smoking and Use of Tobacco Products (Control) Act 2005’ prohibits the advertisement and promotion of tobacco products, there is no specific prohibition on the display of tobacco products at the point of sales (POS). In addition, in this opportunity, the tobacco companies are promoting and disseminating the products through exhibitions at the point of sales. Moreover, for this, the leaders of the Bangladesh Grocery Business Association (BGBA) want an amendment to the current law. The speakers made the demand at a joint exchange meeting of Dhaka Ahsania Mission with Bangladesh Grocery Business Association at Motijheel in the capital on Sunday, 19 June 2022.
The meeting was chaired by Alhaj Abul Hossain, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh Grocery Business Association. BGBA General Secretary Alamgir Hossain Khan, Director Maqsud Alam, Saiful Islam, Consultant Sanat Biswas, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Bangladesh Grants Manager Abdus Salam Mia, Dhaka Ahsania Mission Health Sector Deputy Director Mukhlesur Rahman, Tobacco Control Project Coordinator Shariful Islam, Media Manager Rezaur Rahman Rizvi, Program Officer Audut Rahman Imon and Sharmin Akhter Rini were attend the meeting.
Shariful Islam, Coordinator, Tobacco Control Project, presented the keynote address at the meeting. The main article highlights how the tobacco company is attracting young people to tobacco products through its display of its. In his welcome address, Mukhlesur Rahman said that the use of tobacco products increases the health risks for the people. Children and youths are attracted when tobacco products are displayed in the outlets. Therefore, I believe that the use of tobacco will be greatly reduced if the display of tobacco products in the sales outlets and the sale of single-stick cigarettes or bidis is banned. And for this, I am also demanding the necessary amendment of the law.
Alamgir Hossain Khan said that the use of tobacco products increases the health risks for the people. Children and youths are attracted when tobacco products are displayed in the outlets. I believe that the sale and use of tobacco will be greatly reduced if the display of tobacco products is banned in the sales outlets. Therefore, my earnest appeal to the Hon'ble Prime Minister is to amend the law and ban the display of tobacco products in the sales outlets.
Abdus Salam Mia said the existing law does not specifically prohibit the display of tobacco products in outlets. As a result, tobacco is spreading. That is why every year more than 1 lakh 61 thousand people in Bangladesh die from diseases caused by tobacco use alone. But we are not as concerned about it as we should be.
Abul Hossain said, "We, the Bangladesh Grocery Business Association, agree with the vision of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to get rid of tobacco by 2040.
" We also think that laws should be enacted against the display of tobacco products to protect the next generation. In addition, we will call on all to ensure the proper implementation of that law.
