Bangladesh Grocery Business Association (BGBA) has sent a letter to the Chief Adviser, demanding the swift passage of the proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control Act to strengthen it further and prevent premature deaths caused of tobacco.
The letter, signed by the General Secretary of the association, Alamgir Hossain Khan, was sent this morning to the Chief Adviser’s office.
The letter highlights the proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control Law. These proposals were drafted by the Ministry of Health to align the existing tobacco control law with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Notable proposed changes include: Eliminating designated smoking areas, Prohibiting the display of tobacco products at sales points, Banning the sale of single sticks of bidi and cigarettes, Completely outlawing e-cigarettes, Halting tobacco companies’ CSR activities, Increasing health warnings on cigarette packs from 50% to 90%.
If these amendments are passed swiftly, they could save 161,000 lives annually, or 442 lives daily.
Bangladesh was the first country to sign the WHO FCTC in 2003. In 2005, the country enacted the Tobacco Control Law in compliance with FCTC’s obligations. In particular, Bangladesh has been ranked ‘poor’ and ‘medium’ in terms of ensuring smoke-free environments and banning tobacco product advertisements, respectively.
The letter also calls for raising awareness against the various misleading campaigns run by cigarette manufacturers. Tobacco companies often claim that if the amended law is passed, it will reduce revenue. However, the true picture is the opposite. According to data from the National Board of Revenue, in 2005, when the tobacco control law was passed, the revenue from tobacco was 28.88 billion BDT. In the following year (2005-06), revenue from tobacco increased to 33.51 billion BDT. In 2013, when the law was amended, tobacco revenue had reached 101.70 billion BDT.
Furthermore, the proposed amendments will not only protect youth but also safeguard non-smokers and discourage new individuals from taking up smoking. Therefore, the Bangladesh Grocery Business Association (BGBA) demands the fast passage of the proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control Law, which will help build a tobacco-free and healthy nation.