Reza Mahmud :
Tobacco companies are applying all-out techniques to hinder the government’s efforts to strengthening the tobacco control law by way of amendment.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has recently taken an initiative to amend the tobacco control law to make Bangladeshtobacco-free.
The draft of the amendment proposals have already been prepared and published on the website.
Stakeholders have also provided necessary feedback on the draft proposals. However, tobacco companies are spreading false and baseless claims to obstruct this important initiative of the government.
Tobacco companies and their beneficiary groups are trying to mislead the public and policy makers by misrepresenting various clauses of the draft amendment through press conferences, policy dialogues, media campaigns etc. The companies are using third party technique to foil the MoHFW’s initiatives of amend the law.
It has used so-called ‘Intellectual property Association of Bangladesh (IPAB)’ as an third party platform to mislead the MoHFW that its initiatives are irrational.
Although 67 countries around the world have already abolished the scope for ‘Designated Smoking Areas’ (DSAs) and choose for complete smoke-free laws, the tobacco companies in Bangladesh are opposing the amendment proposal on this issue. Meanwhile, experts are strongly saying that it will never be possible to protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke by maintaining DSAs.
On the other hand, these businessmen are trying to establish that e-cigarettes are less harmful, and banning them will increase the use of conventional cigarettes, which is far from truth.
At least 32 countries, including India, have already banned all types of vaping products, including e-cigarettes, as these products are scientifically proven as harmful to public health.
It was further informed at the workshop that taking advice or opinions from tobacco companies and any group related with vested commercial interest while formulating public health laws or regulations is clearly a violation of the Article 5.3 of World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
Bangladesh is the first country to sign this international treaty.
The former Vice-Chancellor of University of Dhaka, Professor Dr. AAMS Arefin Siddique said, “The initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to amend the tobacco control law is commendable. I hope the government will complete the amendment process of the law as soon as possible, prioritize public health and ignore the ill tactics of tobacco companies.” He said that it is high time for making a strong law to achieve a tobacco-free Bangladesh. Former President of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and prominent journalist Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, said, “Tobacco products are very much harmful for all the people which is clear to all. With this view, the necessary amendment of the concern law is urgent this moment.” Lead Policy Advisor for Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK)- Bangladesh Md. Mostafizur Rahman, said, “About 35.3 percent of adults in Bangladesh (37.8 million) use tobacco. More than 161,000 lives are lost every year in the country due to diseases related to tobacco use.”
