DUCSU hedged endorsed tobacco company, consumption

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) rejected allegations over a series of tobacco-related initiatives and incidents, including free cigarette distribution at a campus concert, sponsored by umbrella company of tobacco sister concern and a disputed proposal to administration for designated smoking zones which clearly violate law.

Serious allegation concerns the ‘Kuyashar Gaan’ concert held at Dhaka University’s (DU) central field on January 17 this year. 

Event was jointly organised by DUCSU and platform Spirit of July. Students published allegations with recorded videos and images during event that cigarettes were distributed free from booth at the venue, prompting widespread criticism on social media and on campus. According to media report, the booth was associated with an “Experience Zone” arranged by sponsor, X Force.

Musaddiq Ali Ibne Mohammad, DUCSU’s Literature and Cultural secretary, later apologised in a Facebook post. 

He said that he was the only DUCSU representative involved in organising the concert but had no role in sponsor negotiations or contractual arrangements. 

He also said that X Force had told him it would create a designated smoking area, but he did not know cigarettes would be distributed free there.

DUCSU general secretary and Islami Chattra Shibir’s publicity secretary SM Farhad told The Daily Observer, “I personally issued Musaddiq a show-cause notice over the arrangements. Videos of the booth circulated online, although no formal complaint was filed with DUCSU”.

Controversy expanded this month when DUCSU VP Shadik Kayem and Shibir’s International Affairs secretary along with Md Asif Abdullah, DUCSU student transport secretary, posted that ‘an eco-friendly bus was being brought under DUCSU’s initiative with Akij Group sponsorship’. Detailed promotional video of the event also surfaced online. It was widely spread on social media across the country promoting Akij Group.

Asif wrote on his verified Facebook profile, “It would serve women students travelling between Begum Sufia Kamal Hall and Kuwait Maitree and Fazilatunnesa halls, and would include drinking water, fire extinguishers and other facilities”.

However, a post published on August 3 in the official ‘Career Akij Group’ page advertised an Area Incharge Sales position with Akij Tobacco Company Limited. 

Post carried Akij Tobacco branding, the hashtag #AkijTobacco and a recruitment link. Poster offered a monthly gross salary of Tk30,000 and a Dhaka walk-in interview. News published on January 9 this year supports the existence of an active entity using the Akij Biri Factory. However, precise legal relationship between that tobacco company as well as biri factory with Akij Group remains a matter for documentary clarification.

Farhad said, “DUCSU had checked possible sponsorship conflicts and found no active tobacco business in a prohibited category at the time”. Abdullah, however, said that he was still reviewing the documents and that the bus arrangement was not tobacco-related because the group’s name did not appear on the front. 

He referred detailed questions about sponsorship and Akij’s business associations to further discussion. Neither response establishes whether a tobacco-linked entity provided money, services or the bus itself.

Sabbir Ahmed, 2021-22 session student said, “The first responsibility of the DUCSU Vice-President is to ensure that the administration does what it should do. If the administration refuses to take action, does not cooperate with students, or behaves in an uncooperative manner, the DUCSU Vice-President should put pressure on the administration and ensure that the work is carried out. I do not consider bringing a bus from somewhere through corporate sponsorship to be a major achievement for a DUCSU Vice-President. We have seen Abul Khair company cigarettes being distributed to students for free at a DUCSU programme or concert. They must have some agenda behind this, and they are carrying out such activities with the aim of implementing that agenda.”

Issue is governed by an official enforcement framework. Amended tobacco-control law, enacted on April 10 this year, defines educational institutions and their grounds as public places. It prohibits tobacco use there except in areas designated through government directions, bans tobacco sales within 100 metres of educational institutions and restricts tobacco-company names, signs, trademarks and symbols in CSR programmes. It also prohibits assistance to a commercial group or institution, or in the name of an event or programme, under Section 5(3). 

On Tuesday (August 17), the Education Ministry instructed all public and private universities to monitor tobacco-company CSR activities and take legal action for violations. On Monday (August 18), the National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC) wrote to the Dhaka University vice-chancellor, requesting measures to ensure compliance. 

NTCC programme director Sheikh Momena Moni to The Daily Observer, “Tobacco promotion, sponsorship and tobacco-linked CSR activities at universities fall under legal restrictions and that such cases are referred to the Education Ministry”. Prof Dr Shafiun Nahin Shimul, Health Economics institute director said, “The sponsorship is legally and ethically problematic and free cigarette distribution at a campus concert as a clear violation”. Stop Tobacco Bangladesh Facebook page moderator Aminul Islam Sujon also said, “Tobacco-company assistance for university programmes was unlawful”.

Smoking-zone proposal remains disputed, although DU Vice-Chancellor Prof. A. B. M. Obaidul Islam told the media that he had not given any assurance about setting up smoking zones on campus. 

DUCSU GS Farhad said, “Zubair (AB Zubair) collected feedback from students, including around 1,000 female students demanding designated areas to protect non-smokers from passive smoke”. But Zubair said that he doesn’t hold any documentation regarding students feedback but learned about demands from student community Facebook group.

Acting Registrar Munshi Shams Uddin Ahmed told The Daily Observer, “I do not know whether the transport section had accepted the bus or promotional material, but tobacco company promotion would be unethical and unlawful”.

-NRE/HIS