Forty members of parliament (MPs) on Friday adopted a declaration to achieve tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040, participating in a conference in Cox's Bazar district.
Professor Dr Md Habibe Millat MP presented the declaration at a media briefing on Friday in Cox's Bazar amid presence of other signatory MPs at the session. They shared their views and solidarity with the declaration.
The three-day long "Members of Parliament (MPs) Conference for Achieving Tobacco-Free Bangladesh by 2040" was organized by Bangladesh Parliamentary Forum for Health and Wellbeing (BPFHW) at the Sea Pearl Resort, Cox's Bazar, from May 18 to 20.
The conference was organized in association with Shastho Shurokkha Foundation and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Bangladesh.
Signed by Professor Dr Md Habibe Millat, MP, Chairman of BPFHW, the 16-point declaration acknowledges the progress on realizing the commitment so far, recognizes the urgent need for action and recommends some key actions to realize the Prime Minister's vision by 2040.
The declaration values the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and recognizes the scope of contribution in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The declaration expresses anxiety with the fact that over 42% of adults are exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke at the workplace and 59% of youth are exposed to secondhand smoke in public places.
Over 161,000 deaths were directly caused by tobacco in 2020. Some 1.5 million adults suffering from diseases are attributable to tobacco use while nearly 61,000 children suffering from diseases due to exposure to secondhand smoke.
The declaration notes the progress of Bangladesh in tobacco control, through the Smoking and Using of Tobacco Products (Control) Act 2005, as amended in 2013, and the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Rules 2006 and 2015, that led to a reduction in overall adult smoking rates from 43.3% in 2009 to 35.3% in 2017. Still Bangladesh is falling behind other countries, both regionally and globally, in its implementation of key tobacco control policies and global best practice.
The declaration recommends that all indoor public places and public transport should be 100% smoke-free with the removal of any provision that permits designated smoking areas. The display of tobacco products at any retail points of sale should be prohibited and all Corporate Social Responsibility programmes by tobacco companies should be prohibited.
The sale of single sticks, unpackaged or loose tobacco or smaller packs should be prohibited and the size of pictorial health warnings on all tobacco products should be increased to 90% of the front and back surfaces of packages. There should be a complete prohibition on the import, export, manufacture, distribution, sale, and marketing of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, oral nicotine pouches and other emerging tobacco and nicotine products.
Vandana Shah, Regional Director, South Asia, CTFK, was present at the event and said that the CTFK will continue the country's effort to be tobacco-free by 2040.
The media briefing was attended by journalists from local and national media houses and they took part in questions and answers session.
