Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu urged people and the authorities concerned to raise voice for halting tobacco cultivation in the country, aiming to protect public health.
“This is the high time to raise voice for stopping all kinds of tobacco cultivation to control the use of tobacco, its products and to protect human health from diverse impacts of tobacco,” he said.
He said this on Tuesday while speaking as the chief guest at an anti-tobacco seminar at CIRDAP auditorium in the city with secretary of information ministry Mortuja Ahmed in the chair.
Information ministry and Health ministry jointly organised the programme with the help of Environment Council of Bangladesh.
Inu said, “People from all tiers, concerned government and non-government organizations should raise the demand for stopping tobacco cultivation and the ministries concerned should place the issue before the parliament.
“The challenges of implementing the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Act 2013, should be met by the joint efforts of the ministries concerned, anti-tobacco organisations and all other stakeholders in which the media can play a vital role,” Inu said.
“Government would act with zero tolerance for violating the Act and take proper measures so that the tobacco companies could not create new consumers,” he said.
The minister also emphasized awareness against the deadly habit at the educational institutions.
“Students should take to oath by their teachers before starting classes at schools, colleges and universities,” he said adding, “In that case local lawmakers could play a vital role by ensuring the oath taken by the students.”
Senior officials of health and information ministry were present among others.
