Experts have called for stronger tobacco control laws to reduce lung diseases in Bangladesh, where four of the 10 leading causes of death are linked to lung and respiratory illnesses, and around 80 percent of male lung cancer patients are smokers.
Speaking at a webinar titled “Strong Tobacco Control Law to Safeguard Lung Health” organized by research and advocacy organization PROGGA on the occasion of World Lung Day 2025, pulmonologists, oncologists, public health experts, and journalists stressed that tobacco use and passive smoking are major contributors to lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), tuberculosis, and asthma.
According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2017, 35.3 percent of adults (15 years and above), or 37.8 million people, use tobacco. About 8.1 million Bangladeshis are exposed to secondhand smoke at workplaces, while at least 25 million encounter it in public transport. Tobacco-related diseases claim an estimated 161,000 lives annually.
The experts urged the government to expedite the amendment of the Smoking and Tobacco Products (Control) (Amendment) Act, 2013, initiated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2021 but still pending finalization.
Prof. Dr. Golam Mohiuddin Faruque, President of the Bangladesh Cancer Society, said, “The casualty rate and medical expenses for all types of cancers, including lung cancer, are very high. Policymakers must prioritize the amendment of tobacco control law.”
Dr. Asif Mujtaba Mahmud, Secretary-General of the Bangladesh Lung Foundation, added, “There is no alternative to reducing tobacco use to ensure lung health.”
Morshed Noman, Editor of SpotlightNews245, noted, “Media always plays a positive role in facilitating tobacco control policy formulation. This trend will continue.”
The webinar was presided over by ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA, hosted by Mehedi Hasan, Head of Digital Media, with a presentation of key findings by Md. Hasan Shahriar, Head of Programs at PROGGA.