Bangladesh Tobacco Control Advocates (BTCA) has urged government institutions, social organizations, voluntary organizations and environmental groups not to accept trees, financial assistance, gifts, sponsorship or any other form of support from cigarette and other tobacco companies.
In a statement sent to the media on Tuesday (September 29), BTCA said that under Bangladesh’s existing tobacco control law, tobacco companies are not allowed to conduct Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities or support such activities. According to Section 5(3) of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Act, 2026, the name, sign, trademark or symbol of any tobacco or tobacco product manufacturing company cannot be used in the name of CSR activities. Providing any kind of support in the name of a commercial group or organization, event or programme is also prohibited.
BTCA said it has learned that British American Tobacco (BAT) is offering free trees to different social organizations, taking advantage of the government’s ‘Planting 250 Million Trees in 5 Years’ programme, which has invited voluntary organizations to participate. The organization alleged that such activities are being promoted as CSR programmes to increase tobacco companies’ public image and social acceptance.
According to BTCA, public welfare activities such as environmental protection, tree plantation and climate action should not be used to promote tobacco companies, build their brand image or increase their social acceptance. The involvement of government officials or institutions in such activities may also create opportunities for tobacco companies to gain greater social acceptance, the statement said.
The statement further said that the government’s tree plantation programme is an important national initiative for protecting the environment, biodiversity and climate. If tobacco companies become involved in or provide support for the programme, there is a risk that the public welfare initiative could be used as part of tobacco companies’ promotional activities. BTCA stressed the need to follow Article 5.3 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in this regard.
BTCA urged government officials and institutions to refrain from accepting trees, financial assistance, gifts, sponsorship or any other form of support from tobacco companies in order to protect public health policies and programmes from the commercial and other interests of the tobacco industry. It also urged social, voluntary, environmental and other organizations to remain alert about tobacco companies’ so-called CSR activities and not accept such support.
The statement was signed by, among others, Iqbal Masud, Syed Mahbubul Alam, Sushanta Sinha, Aminul Islam Sujon, Farhana Zaman Liza, Syeda Anannya Rahman, Abu Raihan, Samiul Hasan Sajib and Ibrahim Khalil on behalf of Bangladesh Tobacco Control Advocates.