Tobacco access for schoolchildren remains widespread: Study

Tobacco access for schoolchildren remains alarmingly widespread across major cities, with new research revealing dense clusters of cigarette outlets operating within metres of school gates and routinely marketing products directly at minors.

The findings, released by the Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) today (9 December), show that children are routinely surrounded by tobacco visibility and retail access, with most outlets displaying cigarette packs at child eye-level.

A nationwide mapping across 121 schools in Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi and Khulna identified 666 tobacco outlets operating within close walking distance of school grounds. On average, each school was surrounded by 5.5 points of sale located within a 100-metre radius.

The study shows that nearly all outlets sold single sticks, keeping tobacco cheap, unregulated and highly accessible to minors. Flavoured cigarettes – widely recognised as a gateway for adolescent users – were available in 84% of outlets. 

Another 71% openly displayed tobacco products, most commonly at eye level for children, while 66% placed cigarette packs next to sweets, chocolates and toys, normalising tobacco as part of a child's everyday consumer environment.

Further, 68% of outlets featured promotional materials ranging from dummy packs to stickers, despite regulatory restrictions on advertising and display.

Economic burden far outpaces revenue

A companion study led by researchers from the Institute of Health Economics at the University of Dhaka calculated Bangladesh's total tobacco-related loss at Tk87,500 crore for 2024. This includes more than Tk73,000 crore in treatment costs, Tk42,000 crore in productivity losses and Tk14,525 crore in environmental damage. Marine pollution accounted for a significant share of the latter.

Experts noted that government earnings from tobacco remain substantially lower than the total economic losses, reinforcing the argument that tobacco imposes a net deficit on the national economy.

Call for urgent legal reform

Speakers emphasised that the evidence strengthens the case for a swift amendment of Bangladesh's tobacco control law, now under review. 

Former BCIC Chairman Md Mostafizur Rahman said the findings demonstrate why stalled legal revisions can no longer be delayed.

Public health expert Prof Dr Sharmeen Yasmeen warned that consistent exposure to tobacco retailing near schools threatens adolescent health and cognitive development. 

Associate Professor Sikder Md Anowarul Islam pointed to a growing normalisation of harmful behaviour, while Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Jewel Sarkar urged stronger judicial awareness of tobacco violations.

'A wake-up call' for policymakers

Chairing the session, PPRC Executive Chairman Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman described the studies as "a clear wake-up call". 

He underlined the need for tougher regulation, stronger taxation, sustained enforcement and annual monitoring to ensure real-world progress.

The new evidence, he said, makes one point unmistakable - reforming and tightening Bangladesh's tobacco control law is now both urgent and essential to protect the nation's children, economy and future.