BRTA, Dhaka Ahsania Mission train 665 drivers on tobacco control law
A total of 665 public transport drivers have received training through an initiative of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), supported by the health sector of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, to raise awareness of tobacco-related health risks and promote compliance with the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005 (amended in 2013).
According to a press release from Dhaka Ahsania Mission, a seven-phase programme titled 'Professional Skill Development and Awareness Training for Professional Drivers' was conducted this month at the BRTC bus depot in Zoar Sahara, Dhaka.
During the sessions, Adut Rahman Imon, programme officer of the Tobacco Control Project under the health sector of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, presented an audiovisual documentary on the tobacco control law and the health impacts of tobacco use.
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The training covered the harms of direct and second-hand smoke, as well as the legal obligations relevant to public transport, including buses, CNG-run autorickshaws, legunas, and tempos. Organisers noted that passengers—particularly women and children—are exposed to second-hand smoke inside vehicles when drivers and helpers smoke, increasing health risks for non-smokers.
The programme also highlighted that smoking in public places is punishable by law, including at bus terminals, airports, railway stations, river ports, government offices, and other public gathering areas.
Dhaka Ahsania Mission and BRTA stated that they are conducting the training programme on a regular basis to support enforcement and help keep public transport tobacco-free.
