Department of Cooperatives steps up drive for tobacco-free workplaces

The Department of Cooperatives has reaffirmed its commitment to creating a tobacco-free environment across its offices by raising awareness among officials and staff, enforcing tobacco control laws and strengthening collaboration with relevant stakeholders to protect public health.

Registrar and Director General (Additional Secretary) Md Selim Fakir made the commitment while addressing an exchange meeting titled "Ensuring Tobacco-Free Environments in All Offices of the Department of Cooperatives" in Dhaka on Monday.

The Department of Cooperatives and the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor (DORP) jointly organised the programme.

Selim Fakir said the department would continue to raise awareness among its officials and employees about the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005 (Amended 2026), ensure tobacco-free environments in all offices and strengthen cooperation with stakeholders to promote a healthier workplace.

DORP Tobacco Control Project Coordinator Zeba Afroza presented the keynote paper. She outlined the tobacco use situation in Bangladesh, the harmful effects of secondhand smoke and the key provisions of the amended tobacco control law.

Quoting findings from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2017, she said tobacco-related diseases claim about 200,000 lives in Bangladesh every year. Tobacco use also causes an estimated annual economic loss of Tk870 billion through healthcare costs and reduced productivity.

She said nearly 37.8 million adults in Bangladesh use tobacco products, including around 19.2 million smokers, while almost 40 million people remain exposed to secondhand smoke.

Zeba Afroza expressed hope that the Department of Cooperatives' initiative would encourage other public and private institutions to establish tobacco-free workplaces as the government continues to prioritise tobacco control.

Chairing the meeting, Additional Registrar (Administration, Human Resource Management and Finance) Md Nabirul Islam referred to Chief Adviser Tarique Rahman's message on World No Tobacco Day 2026, which reaffirmed the government's commitment to protecting children, adolescents and future generations from the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine.

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He said enforcing Section 4 of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005 (Amended 2026), which prohibits smoking and tobacco use in public places and public transport, remains essential to achieving that goal.

Speakers at the meeting stressed the need for greater awareness, stronger institutional capacity and coordinated action among all stakeholders to build healthy, tobacco-free workplaces across the country.