Speakers at a seminar on Thursday underscored the need for strengthening tobacco control law along with raising taxes on tobacco related products to protect people, particularly youths, from tobacco-related diseases.
They were speaking at the seminar titled “Tobacco Control Law and Increase of Tobacco Tax: The Role of Mass Media,” jointly organised by the Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum and the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh on Thursday at a hotel in the capital.
Professor Sohel Reza Choudhury, Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Research, National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research, read out the keynote paper at the event.
In his keynote speech, Professor Sohel Reza outlined six demands to make the country free from tobacco use.
The demands are repealing clauses 4 and 7 of the tobacco control law; shutting down all the designated "smoking zones" in public places, banning display of tobacco- products at retail points, prohibiting corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities by tobacco companies, banning import, production and marketing of e-cigarettes, increasing health warnings on cigarette packs from 50 percent to 90 percent and prohibiting sale of tobacco products at retail rates.
According to the seminar, Bangladesh is facing a tobacco epidemic, with 35 percent of the population actively smoking, including 18 percent of adults and 20 percent taking e-cigarettes. In 2018, tobacco claimed 126,000 lives, while 1.5 million people currently suffering from tobacco-related diseases in the country.
Mentioning that the tobacco industry focuses on making profit without considering public health, using tactics to attract young people, the speakers called for urgent reforms of the existing law to protect the youth from the danger of tobacco use.
Speaking as the chief guest, Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, Editor-in-Chief of the daily Manab Zamin pointed out that rising stress are contributing to higher smoking rates.
He also stressed the need for an intensified anti-tobacco campaign, particularly on social media across the country to make people aware about the harmful effects of tobacco use.
Md Mostafizur Rahman, Lead Policy Adviser at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, lauded the government for considering updating the tobacco products control law.
He also criticised tobacco companies of the country for spreading various misinformation, to delay in bringing reform in the law.
Prof Khondker Abdul Awal Rizvi, President of the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh chaired the seminar conducted by Rashed Rabbi, President of the Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum.
Dr Mahfuzur Rahman Bhuyian, additional director of High Blood Pressure Project of the foundation, Dr Aruna Sarker, coordinator of the Tobacco Control Campaign, CTFK’s advocacy manager Md Ataur Rahman; program manager Md Abdus Salam Mian, communication manager Humaira Sultana, Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum's general secretary Md Mainul Hossain, and several journalists also attended the seminar.
