The financial loss due to tobacco-relegated diseases in Bangladesh is increasing day by day, says a new study.
According to the study, only the consumption of tobacco products is eating up Tk 30,570 crore or Tk 3.6 billion in US dollar annually, which is 1.4 percent of Bangladesh’s GDP.
About 1, 26,000 people of Bangladesh died prematurely in 2018 due to tobacco-related illness. The rate is 15.5 percent of total death of the country, it said.The information of the study titled ‘Economic Cost of Tobacco Use in Bangladesh: A Health Cost Approach’ was revealed at a daylong programme held at Dhaka Club in the capital on Saturday.
The study says that people, who use tobacco, are the worst victims of seven leading diseases than the people who don’t use. The risk of affecting is 57 percent.
On the other hand, the risk of tobacco-related cancer is 109 percent more than the common people who are far from the tobacco consumption.
This study assesses that the children are the worth victims of tobacco. More than half of children as well two crore children of the country are victims of passive smoking.
Bangladesh Cancer Society, American Cancer Society, Cancer Research UK and Department of Economics of Dhaka University jointly conducted the study on ‘Economic Cost of Tobacco Use in Bangladesh: A Health Cost Approach’.
The results of the study were placed at different parts of the daylong programme held at Samson H Chowdhury Hall of the Dhaka Club.The day-long programme covers inaugural session, technical session, group discussion and press conference.
State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Murad Hasan attended the inaugural session as the chief guest.
National Professor Brig Gen (retd) Abdul Malik, Health Secretary Md Asadul Islam, former Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Dr. Nasiruddin Ahmed, cancer specialist Prof Dr MA Hye, Head of Programs of Vital Strategies Md Shafiqul Islam, Director of American Cancer Society Prof Dr Nigar Nargis, Prisila Tiga of Cancer Research UK, and coordinator (joint secretary) of National Tobacco Control Cell Md Khalilur Rahman spoke on the occasion, among others.
President of Bangladesh Cancer Society Prof Mollah Obaidullah Baki chaired the inaugural session while projector director of the research and Joint Secretary General of Bangladesh Cancer Society moderated the event.
Speaking as the chief guest, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Murad Hasan said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced of making tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040.
