Meeting on strengthening tobacco control law held

A discussion meeting on strengthening the Tobacco Control Law was held on Wednesday (12 February 12) at the Abu Sayeed International Convention Hall between the Health Sector Reform Commission and the Development Organization of the Rural Poor (DORP). 

According to a press release, the meeting was focused on the need for issuing a notification to pass the amendments to the Tobacco Control Law quickly. It was attended by Health Sector Reform Commission members Abu Muhammad Zakir Hossain, SM Reza, and Syed Mo Akram Hossain.

DORP’s deputy executive director Mohammad Zobair Hasan presented the keynote paper, highlighting six key amendments in line with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the draft amendments prepared by the health ministry. 

These amendments include: abolition of designated smoking areas in all public spaces and public transport, ban on tobacco companies' corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, ban on display of tobacco products at sales points, ban on import, production, consumption, and marketing of e-cigarettes or emerging heated tobacco products and increasing the size of pictorial health warnings on bidi and cigarette packs from 50 to 90 per cent.

Abdus Salam Mia (representative from an international organisation) mentioned that the health ministry had sent the proposed amendments to the cabinet division for approval as an ordinance. On 9 December, 2024, an advisory council committee was formed to review the draft of the smoking and tobacco products usage (control) (amendment) ordinance, 2024. Based on the committee’s recommendations, the health services division will revise the draft and present it again in an advisory council meeting.

DORP’s tobacco control project programme coordinator Rubina Islam highlighted that the commerce ministry issued a gazette notification on 1 January, 2025, banning the import of all e-cigarette and electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products. She thanked the government for this important step in tobacco control. However, she stressed that to protect the younger generation, the government must also ban the production, use, and marketing of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

Speakers at the meeting pointed out that a specific generation, especially the youth, is falling victim to tobacco addiction. Strengthening the tobacco control law is essential to protect their health. They urged the advisery council committee to issue a notification for the quick approval of the amendments.

At the end of the meeting, DORP submitted a memorandum to the Health Sector Reform Commission, expressing their expectations for a tobacco-free Bangladesh. They also called for submitting the amendment proposals and related documents to the commission. In response, the Health Sector Reform Commission assured them of taking positive steps to present the issue to the Advisory Council Committee.