Tougher law needed for a tobacco-free Bangladesh: Study
There are a few loopholes in the current tobacco control law, according to the study
The existing tobacco control law has some loopholes and a tougher law is required to make Bangladesh a tobacco-free country by 2040, according to a recent study on tobacco control.
The current tobacco-control law lacks some of the major provisions from the World Health Organisation (Who) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (Who FCTC), the study said.
Few loopholes in the law – provisions for smoking zones in public places and public transport, display of tobacco products at the points-of-sales, and not completely banning tobacco companies' corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes – prevents the tobacco control law from playing a strong role in achieving a tobacco-free Bangladesh, the study added.
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The study on the tobacco control laws in Bangladesh was conducted by the Department of Law of Dhaka International University with support from Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids (CTFK) and the findings were unveiled on Tuesday, read a press release.
To strengthen the existing tobacco control law, the study suggested eliminating provisions for designated smoking areas, banning the display of tobacco products at points of sale, and banning tobacco companies' CSR activities and sponsorships.
The study also recommended increasing the size of pictorial health warnings on tobacco packs to 85% and adopting plain packaging policy and banning the import, manufacture and sale of emerging tobacco products – e-cigarette, heated tobacco products (HTPs), and nicotine patches.
The Former Minister of Health and Family Welfare and the President of Bangladesh's Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science & Technology Dr AFM Ruhal Haque was present during Tuesday's event as the chief guest.
He said the study will come in handy to the policymakers in their attempts to amend the tobacco control law.
The event was presided over by Prof Dr Ganesh Chandra Saha, acting vice-chancellor of Dhaka International University (DIU).
The study findings were presented by Barrister Shameem Haider Patwary, chairman of the Board of Trustees and president of Tobacco Control and Research Cell at DIU.
The special guests at the event were Kazi Zebunnessa Begum, additional secretary (Who Wing), Health Services Division, Hossain Ali Khondoker, additional secretary and coordinator of National Tobacco Control Cell, and Vandana Shah, regional director of South Asia Programs at Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK).
