Tobacco control must be prioritised to reduce NCD burden: Minister
The minister says around 71% of all deaths in Bangladesh are caused by NCDs, while tobacco use is one of the major risk factors behind these diseases.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain today (31 August) said reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Bangladesh is not possible without effective tobacco control.
"Effective measures must be taken to reduce tobacco use to protect public health and safeguard the younger generation from nicotine addiction," he said while addressing a seminar titled "Actions to Control Non-Communicable Diseases and Protect Future Generations from the Harmful Effects of Tobacco and Nicotine" as the chief guest.
Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) organised the programme at the CIRDAP International Conference Centre in the capital.
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The minister said around 71% of all deaths in Bangladesh are caused by NCDs, while tobacco use is one of the major risk factors behind these diseases.
"Tobacco control must be accorded the highest priority in addressing the burden of NCDs in Bangladesh," he said.
Sakhawat said the government has allocated the highest-ever budget for the development of the health sector in the current financial year. However, tobacco remains one of the major obstacles to improving public health.
He said the government is highly aware of the issue and is taking effective measures to strengthen tobacco control.
The minister said that, as part of fulfilling the commitment made in the election manifesto, the Tobacco Control Act was further amended and strengthened and passed in 2026.
He also emphasised the need for more effective, coordinated and timely measures for tobacco control in line with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
Speakers at the seminar said that 37.8 million people in Bangladesh use tobacco products, resulting in approximately 200,000 premature deaths every year from tobacco-related diseases, equivalent to around 546 deaths every day.
They also stated that the combined health and environmental costs associated with tobacco amount to approximately Tk87,000 crore.
Tobacco cultivation is also contributing to deforestation, depletion of soil fertility and increased use of chemical inputs.
Expressing concern over the exclusion of e-cigarettes from the amended Tobacco Control Act 2026, the speakers said tobacco companies are employing various strategies to expand the market for their products by targeting the younger generation.
They called for stringent legal measures to ban the production, import, marketing and sale of e-cigarettes and other emerging nicotine products, as well as to prevent their promotion and easy availability. They also demanded the prompt formulation of rules under the amended Tobacco Control Act 2026.
