Students from different educational institutions held an anti-tobacco rally in Dhaka on Thursday, marching from the Central Shaheed Minar to the National Museum at Shahbagh.
The rally, led by the Shastho Shurokkha Foundation, called for urgent amendments to the Tobacco Control Act to address the growing health risks posed by tobacco use, reads a press release.
The students demanded the complete ban of designated smoking areas in public places and public transportation, as well as the prohibition of tobacco product displays at points of sale.
They also called for a ban on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives by tobacco companies, an increase in the size of pictorial health warnings on tobacco packaging, and a ban on the sale of loose cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. Additionally, they urged a total ban on emerging tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
Md. Hridoy, Vice President of the Jagannath University Anti-Tobacco Club, spoke about the alarming toll of tobacco-related diseases in Bangladesh, referencing data from the Tobacco Atlas 2018, which shows that approximately 161,000 people die prematurely every year due to tobacco use. He emphasized the need for amendments to the tobacco control law to curb these deaths and reduce the prevalence of diseases like heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Mousumi Bala, a student of Jagannath University, presented data from the National Board of Revenue (NBR), disproving claims by tobacco companies that stronger tobacco laws would harm government revenue. She showed that revenue from tobacco products has consistently increased after previous amendments to the Tobacco Control Act, proving that tighter regulations could boost revenue while reducing tobacco consumption.
Md. Sifat Rahman, a student at Dhaka University, also responded to the tobacco industry’s claims that small businesses would suffer from stricter tobacco control laws.
He explained that small businesses sell a variety of products, not just cigarettes, and that banning tobacco products would not significantly hurt their business. He also addressed the false claim that tobacco control would lead to job losses, noting that only a small fraction of workers are employed in the tobacco sector and that tobacco companies control a large portion of the market with very few employees.
Sadia Neyamot, a leader of the Shastho Shurokkha Club at Rampura Ekramunnesa Girls' High School, stressed the importance of the government adhering to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). She urged the government to resist tobacco industry interference and quickly implement the proposed amendments to protect public health.
Ataur Rahman, Advocacy Manager at Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), praised the youth for their efforts and highlighted the increasing rates of youth smoking in Bangladesh. He pointed to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, which shows that about 12% of adolescents in Bangladesh are regular smokers, one of the highest rates in the world. He urged the youth to continue fighting against the tobacco industry's tactics to protect future generations.
The rally concluded with participants calling for the interim government to take immediate action by passing the six proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control Act, enforcing the e-cigarette ban, and strengthening anti-tobacco initiatives to protect public health and save lives.
