Leaders of various professional organisations have urged the government to pass the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 into law in the first session of the upcoming 13th National Parliament.
While describing the approval of the ordinance as a significant step toward reducing tobacco-related diseases and deaths, they said it must be enacted as a law to ensure effective implementation.
The demand was raised at an exchange meeting titled “A Landmark Achievement in Protecting Public Health—The Tobacco Control Ordinance 2025 and the Way Forward,” organised by Dhaka Ahsania Mission at Dhanmondi in the capital on Monday.
Speakers at the event said the ordinance reflects the government’s strong commitment to protecting public health. They added that if the next elected government maintains the same stance, there should be no barrier to passing the ordinance in Parliament.
Speaking as the chief guest, Sheikh Momena Moni, additional secretary of the Ministry of Health, said the government earns around Tk40,000 crore annually in revenue from the tobacco sector. However, healthcare costs, productivity losses and premature deaths linked to tobacco use amount to more than Tk87,000 crore each year.
“To prevent this massive loss and save lives, the interim government approved the Tobacco Control Ordinance. But for long-term sustainability, it must be passed as an Act in Parliament,” she said.
As a special guest, former BCIC chairman Mostafizur Rahman said the impact of tobacco extends beyond individual health risks, affecting families, society and the national economy.
Citing data from the Tobacco Atlas 2025, he said more than 21.3 million adults aged 15 and above in Bangladesh use tobacco. Nearly 200,000 people die annually from tobacco-related diseases—equivalent to over 546 deaths per day.
He stressed that enacting the Tobacco Control Ordinance 2025 into law would help prevent such deaths.
The meeting was chaired by Dr S M Khalilur Rahman, vice-president of Dhaka Ahsania Mission. Shariful Islam, coordinator of the organisation’s Tobacco Control Project, presented the keynote paper.
Among others present were Rezaul Karim Sarkar Robin, director of AHAR Bangladesh; Badiuzzaman Badal, president of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport (Passengers) Association; Zakir Hossain, general secretary of the Bangladesh Supermarket Owners Association; Nazmul Hasan Mahmud, president of the Bangladesh Shop Owners Association; Arifur Rahman Tipu of the Dhaka Metropolitan Shop Owners Association; Mokaddem Hossain, general secretary of the Bangladesh Combined Workers Federation; Alamgir Hossain Khan, general secretary of the Bangladesh Grocery Business Association; and Rafiqul Islam Babul, president of the National Employees Federation.