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September 08, 2022 by tobaccoreporter.com

Bangladesh must keep e-cigarettes legal if it wants to achieve its goal of becoming a tobacco-free country by 2040, according to tobacco harm reduction activists.

Speaking during a webinar organized by the Bangladesh-based Voices of Vapers and reported by The Daily Star, several experts addressed the government’s recent proposal to ban vapor products, heat-not-burn devices and other cigarette alternatives in a new amendment to the country’s tobacco control legislation.

Delon Human, president of Health Diplomats, said there is no evidence for the National Tobacco Control Cell’s statement that nicotine in vapes is more harmful than cigarettes.

September 05, 2022 by youtube.com

Webinar by Voice of Vapers Bangladesh

August 22, 2022 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. 

The letter states that smoke-free nicotine products have the potential to drive out smoking, and urges the Bangladesh government to prohibit less harmful alternatives to cigarettes. reads a press release.

July 26, 2022 by asianews.network

Reducing tobacco use is highly challenging in a country like Bangladesh, where there is widespread use of different forms of tobacco among men, women and even children, and where devious interference by tobacco industries into government systems and policy measures has gone largely unchecked. Every year, about 161,200 people are killed by tobacco-induced diseases. Over 172,000 children (10 to 14 years) and about 25 million youths and adults (15 years and above) use tobacco every day. Non-communicable diseases account for 67 percent of all deaths, and tobacco causes about one in every five deaths in the country.

June 27, 2022 by tbsnews.net

The health ministry has proposed a fine of Tk5,000 for using e-cigarettes.

The ministry drafted amendments to the Smoking and Using of Tobacco Products (Control) Act 2005 banning e-cigarettes, vape, or nicotine pouches. 

There is a provision of a maximum fine of Tk5,000 for using e-cigarettes.

In addition, the draft amendment proposes to prohibit the special production, import, export, storage, sale and transportation of e-cigarettes or their parts.

Violation of this provision is punishable by imprisonment for a maximum of six months or a fine not exceeding Tk2 lakh or both for the first time. 

April 06, 2022 by tbsnews.net

In Bangladesh, the tobacco industry is the largest source of internal revenue for the government, constituting approximately 11% of the government's earnings. In 2021 alone, the government made BDT 28,000 crore in cigarette revenue. However, this revenue could be much higher.

Every year, the Bangladesh government is defrauded of crores of taka by the illegal cigarette trade, and this is an issue that only seems to be expanding with each passing year. However, this is not the only issue–when cigarette prices and taxes are increased, law-abiding, tax-paying cigarette traders also suffer due to lower sales, [...]

October 22, 2021 by tbsnews.net

Evidence on the efficacy of harm reduction products like e-cigarette is incontrovertible, said speakers at a webinar on Thursday. [...] Michael Landl said that "Progressive countries are implementing vaping regulations. If Bangladesh implements the regulation for vaping, it could be 6 million people who could switch to vaping than smoking cigarettes as per our calculation."

"Vapes are at least 95% safer than the traditional combustible tobacco, according to the Public Health England. It's not the nicotine that kills people, but it's the tar from smoking, the speakers said while replying questions.", he said.

September 20, 2021 by tbsnews.net

The Health ministry will take into account the recommendations in implementing laws to ban e-cigarettes in order to build a tobacco-free country, said Lokman Hossain Mia, senior secretary of the health services department, during a meeting on Sunday. Lokman Hossain Mia said, "The health ministry has already taken some steps, such as a draft roadmap to build a tobacco-free Bangladesh. Hopefully, further initiatives will be taken to finalise it soon."

"The use of an emerging tobacco product called e-cigarette is increasing day by day which is alarming. E-cigarettes are just as harmful to health as conventional cigarettes. [...]

June 16, 2021 by thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Although the number of smokers has decreased in Bangladesh over the years, it is not adequate to make the country tobacco-free by 2040, Information Minister Hasan Mahmud has said at a workshop organised by VOICE with the members of Law Reporter’s Forum.

The workshop titled “The Necessity of Law Amendment” was held at Nasrul Hamid auditorium of Dhaka Reporter’s Unity on Wednesday.

Speaking as the chief guest, the minister said an impetuous anti-tobacco campaign is necessary to make the country tobacco-free.

May 31, 2021 by dhakatribune.com

Prof Habibe Millat, of Sirajganj constituency, said that tobacco harms all the organs from head to toe. Therefore, it is necessary to reform the existing law and strengthen enforcement.

Four members of the parliament (MPs) recently stressed at a webinar that imposing higher and specific taxes on tobacco products, enlarging the pictorial health warnings to 90% and amending existing laws, including banning e-cigarettes, are now top priorities. Barrister Shamim Haider Patwari, of Gaibandha 1 constituency, said that neighboring countries have pictorial health warnings on tobacco product packets from 80% to 90%, but in Bangladesh it is only 50%.