BSS, Rangpur :
Anti-tobacco campaigners at a regional meeting here have stressed taking effective steps to free the country from tobacco by the year 2040 as envisioned by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The campaigners put emphasis on strict enforcement of the amended Tobacco
Control Act (TCA) and Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act to discourage usages of tobacco products for saving public health from tobacco catastrophe.
Anti Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) arranged the tri-monthly meeting with assistance of Association for Community Development (ACD) at its regional officeon Saturday afternoon.
Programme officer of ACD Toufiqul Islam expressed concern over expansion of
tobacco business in the country and violation of the amended tobacco control laws.
Citing their recent survey reports, Toufiqul Islam blamed some tobacco companies of Rangpur region for not exhibiting mandatory pictorial warnings on packets of tobacco products like ‘jorda’ and ‘gul’, ‘bidi’ and cigarette. The participants said some tobacco companies were attracting smokers and non-smokers by tactfully conducting publicity and marketing tobacco products without or partially exhibiting mandatory pictorial warnings on packets violating tobacco control laws.
