Although the use of tobacco products is prohibited in movie and other such platforms, the entertainment industry in Bangladesh is still being used to promote smoking and tobacco consumption.
Many popular actors in the country are blamed for encouraging tobacco use through smoking scene in movies, dramas, webseries and OTT platforms. Two popular film actors-- Shakib Khan and Siam Ahmed-- violated the ‘Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Act, 2013’ as the two actors are seen smoking in movies released recently. Both of them violated Section 5 of the law.
Shakib Khan starrer film ‘Toofan’ was released in theaters of Bangladesh last Eid-ul-Azha. A poster was revealed before the release of the movie. Shakib Khan was seen holding a cigarette with messy hair. After the release of the poster of ‘Toofan’, the poster of Siam Ahmed starrer film ‘Jongli’ was released, where this actor was also seen with a cigarette.
“Such smoking scene in movie posters of popular actors is intentional. It is violation of the tobacco control law. Smoking scenes were shown 60 times in Toofan movie. It is an attempt to intoxicate the next generation,” said Professor Dr. Arup Ratan Choudhury, founder of anti-tobacco organisation MANAS.
Aminul Islam Sujon, technical adviser at Vital Strategies; said that smoking scene in movie, drama and OTT platforms encourages the audience to tobacco use. It is sad that directors, producers and artists are involved in such unethical activities. It must be stopped so that the next generation does not get addicted to tobacco, he added.
Stop Tobacco Bangladesh, a social media-based anti-tobacco platform, released smoking posters of Shakib Khan and Siam Ahmed, writing, “Although tobacco control law of Bangladesh prohibits the smoking scenes in films, tobacco companies are deceptively using the entertainment industry to target young people by glamourising tobacco use to encourage its use and initiation. They are widely promoted online to drive teenagers towards addiction. Popular actors like Shakib and Siam are misleading the future generation.”
Stop Tobacco Bangladesh called for raising the demand that the movies, those who violate the tobacco control law, be banned and punitive action be taken against the violators.
Posters play a vital role in making the movie attractive to the audience. Some restrictions have to be followed in making movie posters. However, the directors and producers are using smoking scene without paying attention to the law. This has been seen in recent movies. Smoking scene in OTT platforms is now rampant. Stop Tobacco Bangladesh believes that there is extensive campaigning of cigarettes on the OTT platforms as well.
“OTT' platform is very popular among youths. The tobacco companies are inciting teenagers to smoke through OTTs. Some producers and artists are showing smoking scene for their own benefit. It must be stopped in the interest of the country,” said Stop Tobacco Bangladesh.
Dr. Arup Ratan Choudhury suggested that the Film Censor Board and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting can take action against violation of the law. Besides, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as the initiator of the tobacco control law can also take a proactive role in this regard.
Md. Shafiqul Islam, senior consultant at Vital Strategies; presented the research data and said that about two crore people smoke in Bangladesh and more than two crore people consume smokeless tobacco. More than 161,000 people die annually in the country due to tobacco-related diseases. Tobacco control activities must be strengthened in order to reduce the premature death of so many people. All types of mass media should increase awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco, he added.
