Supermarket Owners’ Association demands passage of amended tobacco act

Leaders of Bangladesh Supermarket Owners' Association have demanded passage of the revised Tobacco Control Act 2005 prepared by health ministry.

They made the demand at a joint discussion meeting of Bangladesh Supermarket Owners' Association with Dhaka Ahsania Mission on Sunday at Mohakhali in Dhaka. 

Bangladesh Supermarket Owners Association's Chief Advisor and founder President Niaz Rahim presided over the meeting.

Niaz Rahim said that Bangladesh Supermarket Owners' Association agrees with the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's vision to make the country tobacco-free by 2040. 

"We applaud the health ministry for recently drafting a further amendment to strengthen the Tobacco Control Act. We have full support for the revised draft of the TC Law," he said. 

"We hope the amended law will be passed soon and the Prime Minister's vision will be successful," he added.

"There are currently more than 200 supermarkets in the country. We will make every effort to encourage our members to stop displaying tobacco products in their respective supermarkets," General Secretary of Bangladesh Supermarket Owners' Association Zakir Hossain said. 

"In the amendment draft of the Tobacco Control Act, it has been proposed to ban display of tobacco products at the point of sale," he added.

Lead Policy Advisor of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Bangladesh Mostafizur Rahman said that the current 'Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act 2005' completely prohibits the advertising and promotion of tobacco products. However, the existing law does not specifically prohibit the display of tobacco products at the point of sale, he added.