PHA-Exchange> For Health, Economy and the Environment: Celebration at Passage of Tobacco Control Law

[BATA]

For Health, Economy and the Environment:
Celebration at Passage of Tobacco Control Law
Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance

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On the evening of 13 March, the Parliament passed a tobacco control 
law.  On 14 March, the Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance staged a public 
celebration at 11 a.m. in front of National Idgah Gate.  The Coordinator of 
the Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance, Saifuddin Ahmed, expressed gratitude 
on behalf of the Alliance to all those who worked hard over the years from 
the drafting of the bill, raising of public awareness about its importance, 
and other activities leading to its passage.  He said that the passage of 
the law represents a great victory over the attempts of the tobacco 
companies to continue recruiting new addicts to their dangerous products.

The General Secretary of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, Kazi 
Faruq, said that the passage of the law is a decision in favor of this 
country's citizens' health, economic condition, and the country's 
environment.  He added that the main content of the law is a ban on tobacco 
advertising, creation of smoke-free areas, and placing of stronger, larger 
warnings on tobacco products.  He explained that the prohibition on 
advertising will save the future generations from being tempted to become 
smokers, that the ban on smoking in public places will protect non-smokers 
from the thousands of hazardous chemicals in tobacco smoke, and that the 
new warnings will provide consumers with more complete information about 
the dangers of tobacco use.  As a result of these measures, tobacco use 
will decline, he continued, which will result in better health of the 
population and a reduction in government health care expenditures.

The President of MANOBIK, Rafiqul Islam Milon, said that print and 
electronic journalists have played a key role in raising public awareness 
about the need for tobacco control and in educating the government about 
its importance.  He warmly thanked journalists for their contribution, as 
well as Members of Parliament, members of different ministries, NGOs 
working for tobacco control, and other members of civil society who have 
been active in working towards the law's passage.

Speakers explained that the responsibility for enforcement of the law will 
now fall on those who have supported its passage over the years.  They said 
that the tobacco companies will seek ways to avoid complying with the 
law.  But it is our responsibility to help the government in ensuring that 
the law is properly enforced, that the tobacco companies will not be able 
to continue advertising their products, that public places will indeed 
become smoke-free, and that the bigger and stronger warnings appear on 
tobacco packs.  Bangladesh has played an active role in the first 
international treaty on public healththe Framework Convention on Tobacco 
Controlbeing the first country to sign it, and one of the first to ratify 
it.  We already play a strong role internationally in tobacco control, and 
now will play an even stronger one nationally.

Other Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance members present included Kuheli 
Mustafa, Secretary General of WACC, Mamudur Rahmun Miton, Country Director 
of Hunger Free World, Najmun Nahar Lipi of Usha, Manir Hossain of Saster, 
Ibnul Sayed Rana of Ushika, A.M. Mahidul Islam of Jawafar, Sahed Mahmud of 
AAB, Faysal Ahmed of Pratyasha, Maruf of Shipar, and Amit Ranjan Dey and 
Tushar Chandan of WBB Trust.

From: Syed Mahbubul Alam TAhin
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