Speedy finalisation of Tobacco Control Law Amendment demanded

Anti-tobacco campaigners, at programme in Dhaka, voiced their demands for immediate finalisation of the tobacco control law amendment to prevent the trail of deaths due to tobacco-related illness.
 
In a human chain held in front of the National Press Club on Saturday, carrying "symbolic corpses", they said the longer policymakers delay with the finalisation of the law, the larger tobacco's trail of deaths grows.

Tobacco-related illnesses claim around 161,000 lives each year in Bangladesh, they said. 
 
Following the human chain, the Anti-tobacco campaigners also submitted a memorandum to the Secretary, Health Services Division.

PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress), Anti-tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA), Pratyasha anti-drug club, and Dhumpan Madok Durniti Birodhi Foundation jointly organised the event, said a press release.
 
Anti-tobacco campaigners also said to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use, the health ministry has prepared the draft proposal, releasing the draft on website and collecting opinions from stakeholders.
 
But, tobacco companies have launched a campaign of lies and rumours to derail this initiative, they alleged.
 
Currently, the prevalence of tobacco use stands at 35.3% of the adult population (37.8 million). Tobacco-induced deaths and diseases alone cost the economy of Bangladesh around Tk305.6 billion a year. The amount is much higher than the revenue generated from this sector.
 
Realising the extent of tobacco's devastation, the Prime Minister voiced her commitment to build a tobacco-free country by 2040 and in 2016 and gave a directive to amend tobacco control law in line with Framework Convention on Tobacco Control of World Health Organisation (WHO FCTC).
 
The latest amendment proposal contains a number of global best practices including eliminating Designated Smoking Areas (DSAs), outlawing so-called corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes of tobacco companies, increasing the area allotted for graphic health warning (GHW) to 90% from existing 50%.
 
It also proposed banning the sale of loose sticks, the display of tobacco products, e-cigarettes and other vaping products.
 
Representatives from Shastho Surokkha Foundation, Tobacco Control & Research Cell (Tcrc), Development Organisation of the Rural Poor (Dorp), National Heart Foundation, National Anti-Tuberculosis Association of Bangladesh (Natab), Dhaka Ahsania Mission, and many other anti-tobacco organisations participated at the event.