The Department of Primary Education has announced that candidates who smoke or consume addictive substances will be ineligible for recruitment as assistant teachers in government primary schools. The new eligibility condition was formalized in a notification signed by the Director General on Wednesday.
The National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh (NHFB) has welcomed this decision as a landmark measure for public health. NHFB President, Professor Dr. Khandakar Abdul Awal Rizvi, said:
“Declaring candidates who smoke or consume addictive substances ineligible for teaching positions is a historic milestone. Smoking drives adolescents toward nicotine addiction, impairs brain development, and has serious long-term physical and mental health consequences. This is a far-sighted and courageous step by the Ministry for the benefit of future generations.”
Earlier, on 22 October, at a seminar organized by NHFB, Professor Dr. Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar, Advisor to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, emphasized the importance of tobacco-free schools. He highlighted that all forms of tobacco—including smoking, chewing, and jorda—are harmful and confirmed that teacher training will now include tobacco awareness programs for classroom implementation. He also stressed the need to recognize tobacco as an addictive substance.
Professor Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury, Head of Epidemiology and Research at the National Heart Foundation Hospital & Research Institute, noted:
“Children learn from adults. Teachers who smoke negatively influence students’ behavior. Including this requirement in recruitment notifications is timely and appropriate.”
According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (2013):
-
9.2% of boys and 2.8% of girls aged 13–15 smoke.
-
6.2% of boys and 2.9% of girls use smokeless tobacco.
Currently, 35.3% of Bangladesh’s population uses some form of tobacco, resulting in over 161,000 deaths annually and economic losses of nearly BDT 30,000 crore per year.
The press release also highlighted six policy recommendations aligned with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC):
-
Ban designated smoking areas in all public spaces and transport.
-
Prohibit display of tobacco products at points of sale.
-
End corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities by tobacco companies.
-
Implement strict regulations on e-cigarettes to protect children and adolescents.
-
Ban retail and loose sales of tobacco products.
-
Increase pictorial health warnings on tobacco products from 50% to 90%.
NHFB called for the rapid approval of the proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control Act by the Advisory Council to further strengthen tobacco control measures nationwide.
#TobaccoFreeSchools #BangladeshEducation #PublicHealth #SmokingBan #TeacherRecruitment #NHFB #FCTC #HealthyFuture #NoSmoking #TobaccoControl