Development Organization of the Rural Poor (Dorp) Youth Forum has urged the government to pass the proposed amendment to the Tobacco Control Act promptly, free from the influence of tobacco companies, to protect public health.
Members of the forum staged a human chain in front of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) building in Agargaon, Dhaka on Monday morning.
The organization said adopting the amendment would advance the goal of a tobacco-free Bangladesh and shield future generations from the devastating effects of tobacco. They appealed to the chief adviser to prioritize the draft amendment and ensure its quick enactment without unnecessary delays.
The activists highlighted that tobacco-related diseases claim around 161,000 lives in Bangladesh each year—an average of 442 deaths per day—while hundreds of thousands more suffer serious illnesses. They also warned that the rising use of tobacco among youth poses a significant threat to the country’s future.
Speakers expressed concern over recent media reports of meetings between the advisory committee and tobacco companies, calling such actions a violation of Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Under this article, tobacco industry interference in lawmaking is prohibited. As a signatory to the FCTC, Bangladesh is obliged to uphold this commitment.
The forum also presented six key proposals from the draft prepared by the Health Services Division, all aligned with FCTC guidelines: Eliminate designated smoking areas in all public transport and public places. Ban the display of tobacco products at points of sale. Prohibit tobacco companies from using corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs as advertisements. Protect children, adolescents, and youth from the harmful effects of e-cigarettes. Ban the sale of loose and unpackaged tobacco products. Increase pictorial health warnings on tobacco packaging from 50% to 90%.
Over a hundred anti-tobacco youth activists from Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Jagannath University, Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Dhaka College, Government Bangla College, and Khilgaon Model College joined the demonstration. After the event, DORP Youth Forum submitted a memorandum outlining their demands to the chairman of the National Board of Revenue.
