Eminence, health advocates urge fast tobacco law amendments
Published: 12 August 2025, 3:43:55
Retired government officials and health advocates have urged swift passage of proposed tobacco control amendments following alarming statistics showing tobacco kills 442 people daily in Bangladesh whilst leaving 400,000 disabled annually.
Development Organisation of the Rural Poor-DORP and Bangladesh Retired Government Employees Welfare Association hosted the discussion meeting on Monday at Obosor Bhaban in the capital’s Dhanmondi, highlighting six crucial amendments aligned with WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control standards.
Zeba Afroza, DORP Programme Coordinator, outlined key proposals including removing all smoking areas from public spaces and transport, banning tobacco product displays at sales points, prohibiting tobacco companies’ corporate social responsibility activities, and dramatically increasing pictorial health warnings from 50% to 90% coverage on packets.
Dr Md. Sarwar Bari, Secretary of the Health Education and Family Welfare Division, who was the chief guest, raised a serious concern. He revealed that an advisory committee, formed to review the draft amendments, decided on July 13, 2025, to seek opinions from tobacco companies.
Dr Bari strongly argued that this decision directly violates Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which explicitly prohibits tobacco companies from influencing or participating in tobacco control policies.
Dr Md Suratuzzaman, a retired additional secretary, supported this view, emphasising that public health must be the top priority over the interests of the tobacco industry. He insisted that no consultations should be held with tobacco companies.
Other speakers, including Mohammad Ali, Munshi Alauddin Al Azad, Md. Ismail Hossain, and Professor (Retd.) Samsad Begum, echoed these demands.
They called for the cancellation of the decision to meet with tobacco companies and urged for the immediate passage of the amendments. The meeting ended with members of the association signing a statement in support of the proposed changes to the law.
