Youth community has raised powerful call for the urgent passage of the proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control Act.

Marking International Women’s Day, Nari Maitree organized a vibrant human chain in front of the National Press Club on Saturday.

The demonstration aimed to strengthen the tobacco control law to protect women and children from the harmful effects of smoking and tobacco use. The event saw an enthusiastic gathering of activists from the Anti-Tobacco Youth Forum, Mothers’ Forum, Teachers’ Forum, Girl Guides Rangers, Red Crescent, and students from various universities and colleges.

Ashrafia Jannat, the convener of the Anti-Tobacco Youth Forum, stated, "Every day, 442 people in Bangladesh die due to tobacco-related illnesses. To prevent these deaths, it is crucial to pass and implement the amendments to the Tobacco Control Act as proposed by the Ministry of Health, in line with the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)." She highlighted key amendments, including:

1.         Eliminating designated smoking areas in all public places and transport to ensure the protection of non-smokers.

2.         Banning the display of tobacco products at points of sale.

3.         Prohibiting the sale of single sticks of cigarettes, loose smokeless tobacco products, and unpackaged tobacco items.

4.         Completely banning corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities by tobacco companies.

5.         Increasing the size of pictorial health warnings on tobacco product packaging from 50% to 90%.

6.         Take urgent measures to protect teens and the youth from harmful e-cigarettes and vaping products.

Youth advocate Zarin Tasfia emphasized the dangers of secondhand smoke, saying, "Tobacco smoke endangers our health, particularly for pregnant women and children. Secondhand smoke exposure can lead to miscarriage, low birth weight, and respiratory diseases in newborns. To protect women’s health and safeguard future generations, we strongly urge the government to pass and enforce the proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control Act."

Nari Maitree’s Project Coordinator Nasrin Akter pointed out the misleading narratives spread by the tobacco industry. She explained that tobacco companies falsely claim that passing the amendments would lead to significant revenue losses for the government. However, the reality is different. Since the enactment of the Tobacco Control Act in 2005 and its amendment in 2013, the government’s revenue has increased 12.5 times over 18 years, while tobacco use has declined by 18% between 2009 and 2017.

Nasrin Akter called on the youth to stay alert against tobacco industry propaganda and misinformation. She urged young advocates to continue raising awareness and pushing for the swift passage of the amendments to protect public health.