No alternative to strengthening Tobacco Control Act: Adviser S. Murshid

Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmin S. Murshid has emphasized that the amendment to the Tobacco Control Law must be passed without delay in order to protect youth, women, and children from the life-threatening harms of tobacco.

She made this remark while addressing a a seminar titled “Urgency of passing the proposed draft Tobacco Control Ordinance 2024 to protect youth, women and children”. Nari Maitree organised the event at the Bisshwo Shahitto Kendro on Thursday.

She said: “The youth and children are the future leaders of the nation, and women are the architects of shaping them. One of the key conditions for keeping them healthy is to protect them from the harmful effects of tobacco. To achieve this, there is no alternative to strengthening the tobacco control law. Therefore, I strongly demand the immediate passage of the proposed amendment to the law.”

She further said: “Every day 442 lives are lost. This is such a pandemic. A state cannot remain so indifferent. Therefore, the disagreement within the government regarding the passage of the tobacco control law amendment must be resolved. If this amendment is not passed, we too will have to stand in the dock.”

The seminar highlighted that the current Tobacco Control Law of 2005 (amended in 2013) requires further amendment to bring it into closer alignment with the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). The important proposed amendments 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%.

On November 7, 2024, the draft of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance was presented at a meeting of the Advisory Council. A high-powered advisory committee led by the Economic Adviser was formed to review and finalize the draft. However, it has recently been observed that the review process has turned into bargaining with tobacco companies.

Speaking as a special guest, Professor Dr. Golam Mohiuddin Faruq, president of Bangladesh Cancer Society, said: “In 2004, Bangladesh became the first signatory of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), and in 2008 agreed to the guidelines for implementing Article 5.3. This article clearly states that public health policy must be protected from commercial and vested interests of the tobacco industry. But we are witnessing that the current government, by deciding to sit in discussions with tobacco companies, has violated this international treaty. Therefore, this decision must be canceled immediately.”

He further said: “Lately it is being observed that tobacco politics has begun. We must wage a war against it.”

Additional Secretary of the Health Services Division Sheikh Momena Moni said: “No one has any doubt about the harms of tobacco. According to WHO’s Tobacco Atlas, tobacco-related diseases claim around 161,000 lives in Bangladesh every year—442 deaths per day. To address this, the government has already banned the import and domestic production of e-cigarettes. If the proposed draft law is approved, it will be possible to reduce this death toll significantly.”

She further said: “The government having shares in tobacco companies is unacceptable. I urge the concerned authorities to take immediate action in this regard.”

The seminar was presided over by Shaheen Akhter Dolly, Executive Director of Nari Maitree. Other guests present included Shabnom Mustary, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, and Md. Akhtaruzzaman, Director General of the National Tobacco Control Cell.

Other speakers noted that if the proposed amendments are passed, tobacco use in Bangladesh will be significantly reduced, leading to a major positive impact on public health.

They further said that since this government is not profit-oriented, we strongly urge it to pass the tobacco control law amendment without delay.

They stressed that passing the draft amendment prepared by the Health Services Division is one of the most urgent demands of the time for building a healthy, tobacco-free nation.