Nari Maitree demands passage of Tobacco Control Law, calls for ban on nicotine pouch production approval

Nari Maitree has demanded the cancellation of the approval granted to Philip Morris to set up a nicotine pouch factory, saying the decision violates the directive of the Chief Adviser’s Office.

The organisation also termed this approval contradictory to the government’s commitment to protecting public health and called for the immediate passage of the proposed amendment to the Tobacco Control Law.

At a press conference, speakers said that on January 1, 2025, the Ministry of Commerce issued an SRO banning the import of all e-cigarette and electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products. Later in May, the Chief Adviser’s Office instructed that no permission be given to set up factories for manufacturing e-cigarettes, ENDS devices, or related products in the country.

However, in violation of that instruction, the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) has approved global tobacco giant Philip Morris to establish a nicotine pouch production factory in Narayanganj, near Dhaka.

Nicotine pouches, like other tobacco products, are a method of nicotine consumption. This new form of product allows users to consume nicotine without smoking or chewing tobacco. The products are marketed in different flavors, mixed with various chemicals. Considering their public health risks, many countries have banned nicotine pouches.

At a time when the world is taking stricter measures against such harmful products, BEZA’s decision to allow Philip Morris to manufacture nicotine pouches in Bangladesh poses a serious threat to public health.

Although tobacco companies claim that nicotine pouches are “less harmful,” international organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have warned that these products carry significant health risks like other smokeless tobacco products. Such new-generation products are rapidly gaining popularity among children, teenagers, and young adults, creating a serious public health crisis.

So far, 34 countries, including Belgium, Russia, Uzbekistan, and France, have either banned or regulated the sale of nicotine pouches.

Nari Maitree President Masuma Alam said, “Many countries have banned nicotine pouches considering their threat to public health. Yet, BEZA has approved Philip Morris to establish a nicotine pouch production plant in Bangladesh. This is a grave threat to public health. Therefore, this approval must be canceled immediately in the interest of protecting people’s health.”

She added, “Although Bangladesh is a signatory to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the country has not yet achieved the desired progress in tobacco control. If the Ministry of Health’s proposed amendment to the Tobacco Control Law is passed, it will strengthen the law in line with FCTC standards and be a major step toward protecting public health. Therefore, I strongly urge the immediate passage of the proposed amendment.”

Women Journalists Forum President Fahmida Ahmed said, “Despite the Chief Adviser’s Office directive not to allow the establishment of e-cigarette or ENDS factories, BEZA’s approval for a nicotine pouch factory violates both government policy and Article 18(1) of the Constitution, which obliges the state to protect public health. This will put the health of youth, women, and children at greater risk. BEZA’s approval to Philip Morris must be canceled immediately.”

Health Reporters Forum President Rashed Rabbi said, “When policymakers who promised social change to approve the production of a deadly product like nicotine pouches, it becomes an act of betrayal against the people. The government must take responsibility for this betrayal and revoke this harmful decision immediately.”

Women Journalists Forum General Secretary Labin Rahman said, “The dream of building an equal society, for which our children have sacrificed so much, is being shattered by such government decisions. Approving the production of nicotine pouches is deeply shameful. I strongly call on the government to cancel this decision without delay.”

She also urged the immediate passage of the proposed amendment to the Tobacco Control Law to safeguard public health.

Nari Maitree Youth Forum member Ashrafia Zannat said, “The World Health Organisation (WHO) has not approved nicotine pouches as a medical or safe product. Public health experts consider them harmful as other tobacco products. Making such a decision means knowingly harming public health—something no one has the right to do.”

Speakers at the press conference also said, “BEZA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashiq Mahmud Bin Harun has claimed that nicotine pouch production is a ‘fully legal business’ in Bangladesh. How can it be legal when the Chief Adviser’s Office has already prohibited it? At a time when the country is striving to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through tobacco control, such a decision is nothing but a mockery. This mockery must end, and the approval must be withdrawn immediately.”

It may be noted that the existing Tobacco Control Act 2005 (amended 2013) is being revised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to bring it in closer alignment with the WHO FCTC.

Major proposed amendments include: Key proposals include: eliminating designated smoking zones in public places, a complete ban on the display and advertisement of all tobacco products, protection of youth from the harmful effects of e-cigarettes, banning the sale of single sticks of cigarettes and bidis, prohibiting tobacco companies’ corporate social responsibility (CSR), and increasing the size of pictorial health warnings on tobacco product packaging to 90 percent.

The press conference, organised by Nari Maitree, was attended by journalists from various media outlets, along with members of Nari Maitree Teachers Forum Against Tobacco, Mothers Forum Against Tobacco, and Youth Forum Against Tobacco.