The Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa) has called for the immediate removal of a cigarette factory located in the residential area of Mohakhali DOHS, accusing it of causing severe environmental pollution.
In a statement issued by Bapa on Friday, it has identified the British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) factory as a major source of harmful chemical emissions, including nicotine, that threaten public health and the environment.
According to Bapa, the factory contributes significantly to air and noise pollution and contaminates nearby water bodies.
They argue that such a hazardous industrial facility has no place within a densely populated urban residential zone, where its emissions are adversely affecting children, women, and the elderly, especially students at institutions like the Bangladesh International School.
The statement emphasized that tobacco is an extremely harmful product, with every stage of its lifecycle—from cultivation and drying to processing, consumption, and waste—causing serious damage to the environment, public health, and the economy.
Toxic chemicals, fertilizers, and pesticides used in tobacco farming pollute soil, water, and air, harming insects, aquatic life, and biodiversity.
Globally, cigarette filters are the most commonly found waste in water bodies. These filters release microplastics and chemicals into the environment, posing risks to human health and ecosystems.
Additionally, tobacco production contributes nearly 84 million tons of CO₂ to the atmosphere annually, while tobacco cultivation is responsible for 5% of global deforestation.
To produce just 300 cigarettes, one fully grown tree is cut down, and over 600 million trees are felled each year for cigarette production.
Since 1970, tobacco-related activities have led to the loss of 1.5 billion hectares of forest, significantly contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
Bapa questioned how such a factory continues to operate in a prime residential area of Dhaka and called for an investigation into how it obtained environmental clearances and other permits.
In conclusion, Bapa urged the government to take immediate action to relocate the factory from Mohakhali DOHS to protect public health and the environment.
