Experts seek stringent law to make BD tobacco-free by 2040

Considering the economic loss and health burden caused from tobacco use, the government should enact a harsher anti-tobacco law to check its use in the country aiming to protect public health, according to experts."If we cannot enact a stronger anti-tobacco act to check its use, it will be quite impossible to meet the target, set by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, for making Bangladesh tobacco-free by 2040," said Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, a renowned economist and development thinker, BSS reports.

He said the government has already prepared the draft amendment to the existing tobacco control act, which is a good one."We hope the draft law will be sent to the cabinet and it will be approved. Then the draft law will be passed in parliament accordingly as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced that Bangladesh will be made a tobacco-free country by 2040," Kholiquzzaman said.The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has already formulated the draft amendment to the Smoking and Using of Tobacco Products (Control) Act, 2005 with a view to strengthening the tobacco control law.

The draft amendment has incorporated a number of important proposals and attempted to amend certain clauses. The most notable changes incorporated in the draft amendment include eliminating the provisions for designated smoking areas in public places and transport; banning display of tobacco products and packs at points-of-sale; banning tobacco companies' direct or via third-party involvement in corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes; banning the production, import and sale of e-cigarettes, electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS), heated tobacco products and other emerging tobacco products; restricting the sale of loose tobacco products or tobacco products without packet, package or container; and increasing graphic health warning (GHW) on tobacco packs by at least 90 percent.

Eminent economist and former governor of Bangladesh Bank Prof Dr Atiur Rahman said the draft prepared and publicised by the ministry to amend the tobacco control act has reflected all the proposals from the anti-tobacco stakeholders.He said upon being publicised for public opinion, the draft amendment has been widely accepted by the stakeholders from all quarters, while over 20,000 individuals and organisations have formally extended their support for the proposed draft amendment to the tobacco control act.

Unnayan Shamannay senior research associate Dr Md Mahabub Hasan said six points, including the ban of display of tobacco products, restricting CSR of tobacco companies and sale of tobacco products within 100 metres of educational institutions, parks and hospitals, and banning e-cigarette, were incorporated in the draft amendment, which make it stronger."The draft amendment to the tobacco control law was made considering the demands from different quarters. As per their demands, we prepared the draft amendment," said Hossain Ali Khandaker, additional secretary of the Health Services Division and coordinator of the Tobacco Control Cell.