Staff Reporter :
“More than eleven people die every hour in the country because of tobacco-related diseases.”
Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim made the statement at a press conference in the Secretariat on Thursday. State Minister for Health Dr Zahid Malik, Chief of WBB Trust Saifuddin Ahmed and anti-tobacco campaigner Syeda Ananya Rahman also attended the press conference, among others.
Nasim said, “Every year, around 100,000 people in Bangladesh die and more than 382,000 people become physically disabled due to the tobacco-caused diseases. It means more than 11 people die per hour in the country.”
The Minister informed that around 2.5 crore people use tobacco every day and one-fourth of them are women. “It is an alarming matter that highly-educated persons as well as the university-going boys and girls are addicted to smoking. If conscious citizens refrain from this bad habit, it could bring about more positive changes in the society,” he said.
He admitted that many tobacco companies are ignoring Tobacco Control Law in the interest of their business. He said that the government has taken many initiatives to check tobacco usage as part of which a move was implemented to insert pictorial warnings on tobacco products from March 19.
“We are broadcasting video clips depicting the effects of tobacco on electronic media, while the campaign continues till May 31, which is ‘World No Tobacco Day’. We will also take stern action against those the tobacco companies who will ignore the law,” he added. Later, the minister inaugurated www.morokermanushgulo.com.bd to create public awareness about tobacco.
“More than eleven people die every hour in the country because of tobacco-related diseases.”
Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim made the statement at a press conference in the Secretariat on Thursday. State Minister for Health Dr Zahid Malik, Chief of WBB Trust Saifuddin Ahmed and anti-tobacco campaigner Syeda Ananya Rahman also attended the press conference, among others.
Nasim said, “Every year, around 100,000 people in Bangladesh die and more than 382,000 people become physically disabled due to the tobacco-caused diseases. It means more than 11 people die per hour in the country.”
The Minister informed that around 2.5 crore people use tobacco every day and one-fourth of them are women. “It is an alarming matter that highly-educated persons as well as the university-going boys and girls are addicted to smoking. If conscious citizens refrain from this bad habit, it could bring about more positive changes in the society,” he said.
He admitted that many tobacco companies are ignoring Tobacco Control Law in the interest of their business. He said that the government has taken many initiatives to check tobacco usage as part of which a move was implemented to insert pictorial warnings on tobacco products from March 19.
“We are broadcasting video clips depicting the effects of tobacco on electronic media, while the campaign continues till May 31, which is ‘World No Tobacco Day’. We will also take stern action against those the tobacco companies who will ignore the law,” he added. Later, the minister inaugurated www.morokermanushgulo.com.bd to create public awareness about tobacco.
