Amend anti-tobacco law, close existing loopholes: speakers

Anti-tobacco activists and health officials yesterday urged the government to swiftly approve the proposed amendment to the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act to protect public health and reduce tobacco-related deaths.

They said the argument that a stricter law would hurt revenue is unacceptable, as the cost of treating tobacco-related diseases far exceeds the tax income from tobacco companies.

The call came at a seminar, organised by the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh. It was held at the CIRDAP auditorium in Dhaka.

A recent World Health Organization report said about 3.71 crore people aged 15 or above in Bangladesh used tobacco products last year, including 1.97 crore smokers.

Campaigners have long demanded further amendments to close loopholes in the anti-tobacco law that tobacco companies exploit to promote tobacco use. The law, first enacted in 2005, was last amended in 2013.

An amendment proposal was sent to the cabinet in October 2023 and later to the interim government's advisory council in November 2024, but it was not approved. Instead, a committee led by Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed was formed to review it again.

Citing WHO data, Farzana Rahman Munmun, joint general secretary of Platform Doctors Foundation, said Bangladesh records around 1.61 lakh tobacco-related deaths every year, with 21 percent caused by passive smoking.

Mostafizur Rahman, lead policy adviser at Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said the proposed amendment has been pending for nearly a year. "Had it been approved, many lives could have been saved. Who will take responsibility for this delay?" he asked.

Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Sharf Uddin Ahmed Choudhury said the law must be updated to address emerging issues like e-cigarettes, which were not a concern in 2013.

Sheikh Momena Moni, programme director of the National Tobacco Control Cell, said resistance to the amendment likely stems from the proposed ban on selling loose or unpackaged tobacco products.

Tobacco companies target young people who buy loose cigarettes due to financial constraints, she said, adding, "The proposed amendment will put an end to that."

According to a 2019 study by the Bangladesh Cancer Society, tobacco use caused economic losses of Tk 30,560 crore in 2017–18, while the government earned Tk 22,810 crore in revenue from the sector that year.

Prof Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder, adviser to the Primary and Mass Education Ministry, said tobacco companies employ various tactics to advance their interests. They exploit loopholes in the law and influence policymakers and civil society through activities like tree plantation drives, he added.

He said tobacco products should be classified as addictive substances.

Prof Khondker Abdul Awal Rizvi, president of the Heart Foundation, said tobacco is a major cause of non-communicable diseases, including heart disease, stroke, and chronic respiratory illness.

"We cannot manage this burden with treatment alone. Prevention through strict tobacco control must be the priority," he said.