Govt declares BRDB tobacco-free to protect public health

Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BRDB) has declared all of its 566 offices, including its headquarters, completely tobacco-free in accordance with government directives to protect public health and safeguard non-smokers from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.

The declaration was made by BRDB Director General (Additional Secretary) AKM Tarek at a discussion meeting titled “Declaration of All Bangladesh Rural Development Board Offices as Tobacco-Free”, held on Monday at the conference room of the BRDB headquarters.

Speaking as the chief guest, he said that the harmful effects of smoking are not limited to smokers; non-smokers are also exposed to serious health risks. On the other hand, smokeless tobacco products can cause various serious diseases, including oral cancer, and pose a major threat to public health as a whole.

Therefore, from Monday, the use, sale and promotion of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, biris, zarda, gul and sadapata, will be completely prohibited within the premises of all BRDB offices. This decision has been taken to protect officers, employees and visiting service recipients from the harmful effects of tobacco, he added.

The initiative to ensure a 100% tobacco-free environment in government institutions will play an important role in protecting public health and preventing non-communicable diseases, Tarek further said.

In his welcome remarks, DORP Founder and CEO AHM Noman said that Bangladesh is one of the countries with a high prevalence of tobacco use in the world. Among South Asian countries, Bangladesh has the highest rate of tobacco use, at 35.3%.

Therefore, he emphasised that ensuring tobacco-free workplaces through effective measures in all institutions is essential for tobacco control.

Presenting the keynote paper, DORP Tobacco Control Project Coordinator Zeba Afroza said that according to GATS 2017 data, 38.4 million adults in Bangladesh are exposed to secondhand smoke every day in workplaces, public places and public transport.

Approximately 42.7% of adults are exposed to secondhand smoke in covered workplaces. In addition, more than 61,000 children under the age of 15 suffer from diseases caused by secondhand smoke.

According to research by Johns Hopkins University, in fiscal year 2024-25, the government generated approximately Tk41,000 crore in revenue from the tobacco sector. In contrast, the economic cost of tobacco use in terms of deaths, health losses and environmental damage was approximately Tk87,000 crore, which is more than twice the revenue generated.

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She added that tobacco use has become an increasing threat to public health, the economy and the environment. At this critical juncture, the BRDB’s initiative is a commendable example that can be followed in the pursuit of a tobacco-free Bangladesh.

In his presiding remarks, BRDB Director (Planning) Muhammad Iqbal Hossain said that the Bangladesh Rural Development Board is committed to ensuring a tobacco-free environment to protect public health.

He said that approximately 12,000 officers and employees working across around 566 offices located in different parts of the country, along with approximately 3 crore service recipients, will be better protected from the harmful effects of tobacco and secondhand smoke through this initiative.

He expressed hope that the collective efforts of the officers and employees would further strengthen this national tobacco-control initiative.

Following the meeting, public notices, signboards and stickers discouraging smoking and the use of tobacco products were installed at key locations throughout the BRDB headquarters.