Advisory council approves Tobacco Control Amendment Ordinance 2025
Under the ordinance, the use, production and marketing of emerging tobacco products – including e-cigarettes, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and heated tobacco products (HTPs) – will be banned
The Advisory Council today (24 December) approved the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, aimed at further strengthening the existing law to more effectively curb tobacco consumption in Bangladesh.
The approval came from a regular weekly meeting of the Council with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus in the chair at his office in Tejgaon.
The Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division has been instructed to take immediate steps for the promulgation of the ordinance, according to a press release issued by the health ministry.
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Under the approved ordinance, the use, production and marketing of emerging tobacco products – including e-cigarettes, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and heated tobacco products (HTPs) – will be banned.
Nicotine pouches have also been brought under the definition of "tobacco products".
The ordinance further bans smoking in all public places and public transport, along with the use of all forms of tobacco products. Provisions for Designated Smoking Areas (DSAs) will now be subject to government directives. In addition, the definitions and scope of "public places" and "public transport" have been expanded.
All forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship have been prohibited, including the display of tobacco products at points of sale and promotion through the internet or any other media. The ordinance also increases the size of mandatory health warnings on tobacco product packaging from the existing 50% to 75% of the packet surface.
According to the health ministry, tobacco use-related diseases cause more than 130,000 premature deaths every year in Bangladesh.
