Economic Reporter :
Leaders of the Bangladesh Anti Tobacco Alliance (BATA) and the Alliance for FCTC Implementation (AFIB) have urged the government not to issue of Import Registration Certificate (IRC) to tobacco companies to import foreign cigarettes for protecting public health and building a smoke-free Bangladesh.
The leaders made the call at a human chain in front of the National Press Club in the capital on Thursday.
They also submitted a memorandum to the Commerce Ministry urging it to refrain from issuing the commercial IRC for building a smoke-free Bangladesh.
Executive Director of AFIB Md Aynul Haque said, “We informed that the Japan Tobacco International (United Dhaka Tobacco Company Ltd.) has appealed to the Commerce Ministry to get a commercial IRC for importing cigarettes but it is completely contradictory to the government’s tobacco control policy.”
If they get a commercial IRC, they will sell foreign brands in the country at a cheaper price and consumers will be more inclined towards smoking, he said.
Haque further said such import licenses will increase foreign cigarettes in the country through different illegal routes, which will create a disaster in public health and tobacco control. Sumon Shekh, President of Shoccho Foundation, said issuance of such certificates will be a major barrier to the implementation of the tobacco control policy of the government.
“If the company has been given commercial IRC, other tobacco companies in the country will receive similar IRCs and the public health will decline in competition to sell imported cigarettes in the country,” Suman added.
The board of Trustee of Bangladesh Anti Tobacco Alliance (BATA) and Honorary Technical Advisor M Rafiqul Islam Milon, Executive Director of LRB Foundation Sultana Razia Sheela, among others, spoke.
Leaders of the Bangladesh Anti Tobacco Alliance (BATA) and the Alliance for FCTC Implementation (AFIB) have urged the government not to issue of Import Registration Certificate (IRC) to tobacco companies to import foreign cigarettes for protecting public health and building a smoke-free Bangladesh.
The leaders made the call at a human chain in front of the National Press Club in the capital on Thursday.
They also submitted a memorandum to the Commerce Ministry urging it to refrain from issuing the commercial IRC for building a smoke-free Bangladesh.
Executive Director of AFIB Md Aynul Haque said, “We informed that the Japan Tobacco International (United Dhaka Tobacco Company Ltd.) has appealed to the Commerce Ministry to get a commercial IRC for importing cigarettes but it is completely contradictory to the government’s tobacco control policy.”
If they get a commercial IRC, they will sell foreign brands in the country at a cheaper price and consumers will be more inclined towards smoking, he said.
Haque further said such import licenses will increase foreign cigarettes in the country through different illegal routes, which will create a disaster in public health and tobacco control. Sumon Shekh, President of Shoccho Foundation, said issuance of such certificates will be a major barrier to the implementation of the tobacco control policy of the government.
“If the company has been given commercial IRC, other tobacco companies in the country will receive similar IRCs and the public health will decline in competition to sell imported cigarettes in the country,” Suman added.
The board of Trustee of Bangladesh Anti Tobacco Alliance (BATA) and Honorary Technical Advisor M Rafiqul Islam Milon, Executive Director of LRB Foundation Sultana Razia Sheela, among others, spoke.
