BSS, Dhaka :
In the guise of providing job opportunities, giant tobacco companies are launching different innovative campaigns at city’s educational institutions to select candidates for them.
They have installed temporary booths with dazzling decoration at different private universities to attract students to get jobs in the corporate world. This is a highly innovative technique of the tobacco manufacturing houses to spread their business among the youths, anti- tobacco campaigners told BSS.
Recently, Philip Morris International (PMI), set up such temporary booths and help desks at some private universities for seeking its potential employees.
This international tobacco giant adopted creative and innovative tactics inscribing catchy slogans to attract students to join job competition to become successful candidates.
As part of launching indirect advertisement, the tobacco company resorted to various techniques such as opening help desks, which are decorated resembling Marlboro cigarette packet, on the campus of different private universities. At the help desk, smart and good- looking youths remain engaged in providing information to students.
Chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh Prof Dr AK Azad Chowdhury said the government has passed Private University Act-2010 by incorporating some important provisions to ensure quality of education.
Following enactment of the act, the UGC has acquired more authority to oversee the activities of private university, which will eventually help to improve the standard of higher education in the country.
Asked about the promotional move of tobacco companies on university campuses in the name of providing jobs, he said the university authorities should not allow tobacco companies to carry out promotional activities on the campuses for the sake of ensuring healthy life of students.
Director of student affairs of American International University Bangladesh (AIUB) Manzur Hossain Khan said the PMI arranged a registration programme by opening a help desk on its campus in February this year to select its prospective candidates from the students.
Students will acquire new experiences from the initiatives undertaken by the multinational company, he said adding, “We arrange job fair in our university to create opportunities for students to ensure their easy access to job markets.”
Asked about whether a multi-national tobacco company’s initiative will have any negative impact on university students, Manzur said the university authorities will give permission to the tobacco company for employment purposes only.
