Recently the interim government of Bangladesh modified the Import Policy Order of 2021-2024 with one of the major changes being the ban on the import of all safer alternatives to traditional tobacco. This ban has restricted access to safer alternatives such as e-cigarettes or Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) that help smokers in the journey of quitting cigarette addiction. According to a WHO study in 2022, 13.1% of the total population of Bangladesh, above the age of 15 are addicted to combustible cigarettes. The introduction of this policy severely limits the freedom of choice and basic consumer rights of these smokers, many of whom are potentially on the journey of quitting smoking. The question should be raised on how the government came upon this critical decision, even though scientific evidence and global trends prove otherwise. Well, the answer to this is quite intriguing.
Bloomberg Philanthropies (a philanthropic organization started by American billionaire Michael R. Bloomberg) through its NGOs - Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and Vital Strategies has been seen interfering extensively in the internal affairs of Bangladesh to influence policies, specifically those related to safer alternatives, in lieu of their unknown agendas. These organizations have been frequently observed pushing their questionable anti-safer alternative narratives and policies in many developing nations across the world. In Bangladesh, the National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC) has also listed these two organizations as ‘partners’ on their website, making it highly evident that these organizations are discreetly, from the shadows, shaping the government policies of Bangladesh through their agenda-driven advocacies.
Such interference from these NGOs has frequently been observed across other key developed/developing countries across the Middle East and Asia, and has faced much resistance from governments who have taken the time to critically analyze the situation. For example, these NGOs have been openly accused of interfering in local policy-making by the authorities in the Philippines and have received tremendous backlash for such activities. Similarly, the Indonesian government refused to implement an outright ban on safer alternatives, despite facing tremendous pressure from these NGOs. Recently, the Pakistani government also took action against these organizations for unethical practices used to push their agenda of extreme restrictions on safer alternatives. Such bans are also harming the tax revenue of governments. A recent example is from Thailand which had previously banned such alternatives saw a growing userbase of approximately a million safer alternative users. On realizing the missed tax revenue potential, the government is now working towards a regulation-based approach rather than banning the products. Furthermore, it has been seen globally that several countries are accepting a science backed approach to safer alternatives, regulating them instead of outright bans. Countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE have successfully been seen adopting such regulation-based approaches towards safer alternatives.
And the fact is that there is substantial scientific evidence that points towards the need for safer alternatives to be available in markets, to enable combustible tobacco addicts to makes a safe transition to quitting tobacco altogether. The narrative promoted by these NGOs completely ignores such scientific evidence as well as the legitimate views of scientific experts, thereby putting in jeopardy not only the rights of tobacco users to transition to safer alternative on their journey to quit tobacco, but also their very lives.
In 2021 alone, 17.5% of total deaths in the country were due to cigarette addiction. This itself shows how important it is for an option to quit this addiction be made available for our fellow countrymen. Which is why regulation of these alternatives is so important. While it is important that these be kept out of reach of underage individuals as well as those who are not acquainted to tobacco consumption, it is also imperative to accept them as a key solution to the current cigarette addiction which plagues the country. The current prohibitionist stance rather than creating a solution will create more health challenges as we move forward, where cigarette smokers will be unable to quit and related health issues will worsen over time.
Most importantly, this is a stance that has been acknowledge by the United States itself – the very country where these NGOs are based out of. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in alignment with global best practices has chosen to regulate the use of safer alternatives to cigarettes instead of an outright ban, thereby putting the agendas and perspectives of these NGOs in serious contention. A narrative that has been rejected by the very country where these NGOs hail from, is being now propagated in our country to the detriment of the freedom and health of our fellow citizens.
The revolution in July marked a crucial moment in the country's political evolution. It called for a shift in the government's mindset, challenging the typical authoritarian approach. The uprising reflected a collective demand for an increase in individual freedom, autonomy, and a style of governance that addresses the critical needs and requirements of its people. Unfortunately, this policy’s approach to safer alternatives is quite counter-intuitive to this spirit of country, which was expected to play a key role in driving us forward.
Having understood this situation there is only one resolution going forward, and that is regulation, not prohibition. This shift will reflect a more balanced approach, one that considers the freedom of the people as well as the positive public health outcomes and collective well-being of the country. With access to safer alternatives under a regulatory framework, we can protect public health with a regulation-focused approach while protecting individual choices of shifting to quitting tools. I earnestly hope that the government of Bangladesh will resist arbitrary external influences and instead adopt policies that truly serve the interests of the people and choose a better future for the country.