Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim yesterday said the country would be tobacco free within the next 25 years helping to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and build a healthy nation.
“We are working in line with the directives of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to build a tobacco-free nation by 2040 and to achieve the SDGs,” he said.
The minister said this while speaking at an award-giving ceremony organized by Pragya, an anti-tobacco organization, and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) at CIRDAP auditorium in the city to mark the World Tobacco Free Day on May 31. The award had been introduced to recognize journalist’s contribution to raising awareness against tobacco consumption. Nasim said action would be taken against the companies for not publishing health hazards cautions with pictures on the packets of tobacco products in line with the ‘Smoking and Tobacco Products (Control) Act’. Emphasizing on the inter-ministerial co-ordination, he said, Co-ordination among health, law, agriculture and home ministries are must to control tobacco cultivation and consumption. Founder and President of Heart Foundation National Professor Brig (retd) Abdul Malek, Executive Director of Progga ABM Jubaer, ATMA convener Mortuza Haider Liton were present, among others. In the function, eight journalists have been awarded with a crest and Taka 50,000 each.
They were Khorshed Alam Shagar of Banglanews.com, Sunil Singha of Sylheter Dak, Hamid-Uz-Zaman Mamun of the daily Janakantha, Ziaul Huq Mizan of the daily Naya Diganto, Doulat Akhter Mala of the Financial Express, S Dilip Roy of the Daily Star, Rita Nahar of Boishakhi Television and Jhorna Rai of Desh TV. Later, a press briefing was held at the conference room of health ministry to mark the World Tobacco Free Day.
