TBT DESK

Although the approval of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 is being seen as a major achievement in reducing tobacco-related diseases and deaths, leaders of various professional organizations believe that passing it into law is now the key priority to ensure its effective implementation. They strongly emphasized that the ordinance must not remain limited to paper only; rather, it must be passed and enacted into law in the first session of the upcoming 13th National Parliament.
These demands were raised by leaders of professional organizations at an exchange meeting titled “A Landmark Achievement in Protecting Public Health—The Tobacco Control Ordinance 2025 and the Way Forward,” organized by Dhaka Ahsania Mission on Monday (9 February 2025) at Dhanmondi in the capital.
The speakers further stated that the Tobacco Control Ordinance 2025 clearly reflects the government’s firm commitment to protecting public health. If the next elected government continues this stance, there should be no obstacle to passing the law in Parliament.
Speaking as the chief guest, Sheikh Momena Moni, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Health, said that although the government earns approximately BDT 40,000 crore in revenue annually from the tobacco sector, the losses in terms of healthcare costs, reduced productivity, and premature deaths amount to more than BDT 87,000 crore. To prevent this massive loss and save lives, the interim government approved the Tobacco Control Ordinance. However, she emphasized that to ensure its sustainability, it is essential to pass it as an Act in Parliament.
As a special guest, former BCIC Chairman Mostafizur Rahman said that the harm caused by tobacco is not limited to individual health risks; it has severe impacts on families, society, and the national economy as well. Referring to data from the Tobacco Atlas 2025, he stated that more than 21.3 million adults (aged 15 years and above) in Bangladesh use tobacco. Among them, nearly 200,000 people die every year from tobacco-related diseases—more than 546 deaths per day. Therefore, he stressed that transforming the Tobacco Control Ordinance 2025 into law would help prevent these deaths.
The meeting was chaired by Dr. S. M. Khalilur Rahman, Vice President of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, while the keynote paper was presented by Shariful Islam, Coordinator of the Tobacco Control Project of Dhaka Ahsania Mission.
Among others present at the event were Rezaul Karim Sarkar Robin, Director of AHAR Bangladesh; Badiuzzaman Badal, President of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport (Passengers) Association; Zakir Hossain, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Supermarket Owners Association; Nazmul Hasan Mahmud, President of the Bangladesh Shop Owners Association; Arifur Rahman Tipu of the Dhaka Metropolitan Shop Owners Association; Mokaddem Hossain, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Combined Workers Federation; Alamgir Hossain Khan, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Grocery Business Association; Rafiqul Islam Babul, President of the National Employees Federation; along with leaders from various professional organizations.