Read articles from Bangladesh

November 28, 2023 by tbsnews.net

The 'Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2023' highlighted Bangladesh's scoring of 72, the poorest among its South Asian counterparts, emphasising the substantial industry influence, notably hindering the amendment process of tobacco control laws in the country. [...] experts expressed concerns over the industry's pervasive influence. They highlighted the paramount issue of the stalled amendment to the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Act 2013, impeding the nation's strides toward tobacco control.

November 21, 2023 by thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Speakers on Monday underscored the need for a strong political will to ban the new form of tobacco consumption called e-cigarette. They also urged the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to speed up the banning of e-cigarette by amending the existing tobacco control law. Adolescents and youths in urban areas were found to be fond of using e-cigarette as a fashion. Hence, there was a risk of a rapid rise in e-cigarette use in the country due to misconceptions and strategic marketing by tobacco companies, they warned. Bangladesh is already among the top ten countries in terms of prevalence of tobacco users. Given this context, the proliferation of new tobacco products such as e-cigarette is a matter of concern.

October 19, 2023 by thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Electronic cigarettes are new in Bangladesh. But they are making their presence felt in the capital city as well as in the countryside. These battery-powered cigarettes are now very popular with young people as they are marketed as a 'safer' alternative to traditional cigarette smoking. The use of e-cigarettes is now higher among university students than adults. And their use has increased dramatically in the past five years. The e-cigarette market in Bangladesh is also growing every year. According to Statista, an online platform specialised in data gathering and visualisation, the revenue generated from the country's e-cigarette market amounted to $94.8 million so far in 2023.

September 04, 2023 by filtermag.org

Bangladesh is close to imposing a total ban on nicotine vapes, which have helped tens of millions of people around the world quit smoking. The planned ban reportedly also includes oral nicotine pouches, another important harm reduction alternative in South Asia. If confirmed, it will be another major blow to harm reduction, when several Asian governments have enacted similar prohibitions. With almost 170 million people, Bangladesh is the eighth most populous country in the world. And it’s a major tobacco consumer. A national smoking rate of over 20 percent—often traditional bidi, as well as cigarettes—contains a large gender split. [...]

August 22, 2023 by tbsnews.net

A group of international tobacco harm reduction advocates has asked Bangladesh authorities to reconsider its proposed prohibition of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and other smokefree nicotine alternatives in a letter addressed to the Ministry of Health.

July 18, 2023 by dhakatribune.com

The Cabinet is likely to approve the Smoking and Using of Tobacco Products (Control) (Amendment) Act, 2013 this month, which proposes a complete ban on the manufacturing, import and sale of e-cigarettes, with a provision of imprisonment of a maximum of six months, a fine or both. Later, it will be placed in Parliament for passage into law. The prime minister has already instructed the Health Ministry to amend the law, to make it more in line with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and compatible with the vision of building a tobacco-free country by 2040.

July 03, 2023 by thefinancialexpress.com.bd

The government is considering banning vaping, a trendy alternative to cigarette smoking among youngsters, and related products.

According to a draft law, the government is also considering raising the monetary penalty for smoking and using tobacco products in public places more than six times the existing one and banning mobile sales of cigarettes and tobacco products.

To that effect, a cabinet division committee led by an additional secretary recently forwarded a 10-point review to the Health Services Division, reports bdnews24.com.

March 02, 2023 by tbsnews.net

Local non-governmental organisation the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor on Wednesday urged the government to pass the draft amendment of tobacco control act and ban all types of electronic cigarettes at the earliest to make the country tobacco-free by 2040.

"Tobacco companies are spreading rumours against the amendment of tobacco control act. We request the government to revise the act without any delay," Deputy Executive Director of the organisation Mohammad Zobayer Hasan said at a press conference at the National Press Club in the capital. 

January 05, 2023 by thefinancialexpress.com.bd

More than 161,000 people in the country die every year due to tobacco use or smoking, increasing the risk of lung cancer by 20 to 30 per cent.

Second-hand smoking increases the risk of heart disease in non-smokers by 25-30 per cent. [...] The minister said that the government is working to build a 'tobacco-free Bangladesh' by 2040.

"Therefore, public places and transport should be made 100 per cent smoke free. Educational institutions should ensure that students do not smoke. Tobacco should be socially boycotted as it is poison," he added.

November 30, 2022 by tbsnews.net

To make tobacco-free Bangladesh as per the commitment of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the law structure needs to be strengthened, and the factors that are encouraging public need to be prohibited, said speakers at a discussion Wednesday.

They also noted that Designated Smoking Areas (DSA), displaying smoking scenes in movies on condition, and CSR by tobacco companies must be outlawed. [...] Dr Atiur Rahman highlighted that policymakers have not only played a notable role in reducing tobacco consumption in Bangladesh and the citizens but also provided significant support to anti-tobacco movements.