Experts urge ban on smoking scenes in films, OTT content

Experts and policymakers have advocated for a ban on smoking sequences in films, dramas, and OTT material to safeguard young viewers from tobacco impact. They stressed the importance of strict enforcement of the Tobacco Control Act and the development of special standards for OTT platforms.

The discussion took place at a seminar titled "What to do to control smoking scenes in films, dramas, and OTT platforms for the protection of the young generation," organized by Bangladesh Film Archive, MANAS (Madakdrabya and Nesha Nirodh Sangstha) at the Film Archive Building at Agargaon on Tuesday.

BFA DG Md Abdul Jalil, also the event's chief guest, stressed that films should not promote harmful content like smoking. He highlighted the introduction of a four-level film rating system and plans to raise awareness against smoking through collaborations with university film clubs.

A study presented at the event revealed that 46 out of 60 OTT dramas and films violated the Tobacco Control Act, with most smoking scenes appearing in hero characters (33), heroines (19), villains (12) and supporting roles (21). Netflix was identified as the platform with the highest tobacco-related content.