Tobacco.org

No enforcement of anti-smoking law in Barguna  

The Anti-tobacco law is yet to enforce in the district as general people as well as members of law enforcers smoke cigarette at public places without any care or fear.

In the initial stage when the Anti-smoking law was promulgated, those who used to smoke at public places stopped their old habit considering punishment under the law.

But with the passage of time, the smokers started the same practice everywhere, including in buses, tempos and launches, as there was no implementation of the law anywhere in the district.

Smoking was banned at academic institutions, offices, courts, cinema halls premises, etc under the law

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Tobacco cultivation shows no sign of abating  

Tobacco cultivation shows no sign of abating in Nilphamari.

Sources said, though the government is not encouraging the farmers to cultivate tobacco any more rather it is discouraging the farmers across the country to decrease it the farmers are not paying heed to it.

Although the real quantity of lands on which tobacco is being cultivated in Nilphamari district for the last several years could not be known for lack of information by the Agriculture Extension Department (AED) tobacco is being cultivated on more than 10 per cent arable land in the district.

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57,000 die for using tobacco every year  

About 57,000 people die for using tobacco every year in the country, while 3.62 lakh become infected.

National Professor Dr MR Khan yesterday informed this while inaugurating a eight-day workshop on 'Training of NGO watchdogs to prevent violation of tobacco control law' in the city.

He said joint efforts between the government and the non-government organisations (NGOs) is necessary to speed up the tobacco control movement.

Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) organised the workshop in cooperation with the World Health Organisation (WHO) at its auditorium in the city.

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Sustainable control of tobacco use stressed 

Discussants at an advocacy meeting here today underscored the need for sustainable control of tobacco use for building a sound environment as well as a healthy nation.

They also underlined the need for a collective effort of all concerned to undertake effective measures to control use of tobacco and unequivocally said, the 'smoking and use of narcotics control law' must be enforced strictly.

Local unit of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) with financial support from the World Health Organization (WHO), Bangladesh arranged the meeting styled "Tobacco Control Activities: Our Responsibility" at Safawang Community Center.

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• Impose tax on tobacco to ward off smokers  

It is essential to control smoking and tobacco-made products by increasing prices of tobacco- made products and imposing taxes. If the prices of these goods are very high, the rate of smokers decrease and cost for maintaining public health and control over tobacco-borne diseases may become easier'.

Saifuddin Ahmed, Moderator of Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance made the above remarks on Saturday while addressing the inauguration programme titled 'Tobacco and Taxation in Bangladesh' organised by 'Work for a Better Bangladesh, Trust' (WBBT). The Development Researcher, Taifur Rahman addressed the meeting as keynote speaker and the Senior Project Officer of WBB Trust, Aminul Islam moderated the function.

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Aggressive tobacco marketing threat to rural people's health 

Tobacco companies' aggressive marketing to the unsuspecting rural people is the single greatest threat to control this epidemic. The companies are violating tobacco control act widely taking advantages of the government's thin vigilance to bring the offenders to book.

Representatives of different organisations observed this while speaking at a press conference held at Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) auditorium in the city yesterday. They called on Bangladesh government to protect the Global Tobacco Treaty from tobacco company interference. Presided over by DAM President Kazi Rafiqul Alam, the press conference was attended by Ahsania Mission Cancer Hospital Managing Director M. Fazlur Rahman, Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) General Secretary Kazi Faruq, Welfare Association of Cancer Care General Secretary Kuheli Mustafa and senior Programme Officer of DAM Iqbal Masud. DAM organised the press conference in association with Corporate Accountability International and Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnational (NATI).

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57,000 die a year for smoking, using tobacco products  

Speakers at a view exchange meeting yesterday said around 57,000 people die every year in the country due to smoking and use of tobacco products yesterday.

Citing a WHO-2004 report, they called for giving priority to public health, amending the existing Tobacco Act and introducing packets of bidi-cigarette and other tobacco products with warning messages . . .

Bangladesh Consortium on Tobacco Control (BCTC) in collaboration with Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) jointly organised the meeting on 'Necessity of warning messages with pictures on the packets of bidi-cigarette and others tobacco products'.

CAB President Borhan Ahmed was in the chair on the occasion.

WHO National Professional Officer Dr M Mostafa Zaman accused media of playing silent role despite the deaths of huge number of people from smoking and use of tobacco products.

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• Tobacco claims 5.4m a year worldwide: WHO report  

About 5.4 million people die every year across the globe due to tobacco consumption and the number will go over 8 million by 2030 if immediate steps are not taken, the World Health Organisation (WHO) report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2008 said yesterday.

At the launching ceremony of the report at a city hotel, it was also revealed that more than 80 percent of the tobacco victims would die in the developing countries alone by 2030 if tobacco control programme is not augmented by this time. . . .

The report outlined the MPOWER package, a set of six key tobacco control measures . . .

This year National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has won the Global Award on the World No Tobacco Day.

WHO representative to Bangladesh Dr Duangvadee Sungkhobol handed over the crest to Uzzal Bikash Dutt, joint secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on the occasion.

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• Tobacco curbs hit Bidi exports  

The bidi export market is seeing a downward trend and confusion prevails among bidi exporters about the actual figures. But exporters present a unanimous front on the reasons for the fall. The restrictions on tobacco the world over are seen as the chief reason for the exporters' woes.

Low-cost cigarettes seem to be the other villains. Bidi exporters are slowly losing hold over the Middle East, which has been the mainstay for many companies, like Nimex Trading Corporation. “The Middle East accounts for about 90% of our exports,” says Nimex proprietor Parvez A Khatri. The Asian population in these countries constitutes the major clientele for bidis. However, cigarette manufacturers in Bangladesh who are supplying their wares at cheap rates, are beginning to eat into their markets.

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Tax increase should lead to price increase of tobacco products for reduction of consumption, expert opined 

The government of Bangladesh has undertaken several initiatives to reduce tobacco use among all sections of population. It has passed a comprehensive tobacco control law. Yet there are several loop holes according to the experts working to reduce the use of tobacco.

Dr Khalil Rahman, Regional Coordinator for Tobacco Control for South-East Asia region of World Health Organisation (WHO) recently shared his views with Star Health about contemporary situation of tobacco in the region.

Dr Khalil informed that Bangladesh is facing double burden of tobacco.

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Cigarette prices up in retail market 

Traders yesterday voiced that they are not sure as to how the budget will affect the wholesale and retail prices of different products as certain clauses of the budget proposal are still not clear to them and as there might be some changes in the proposed budget.

However, a visit to the market shows that there has been a marked increase in the prices of cigarettes. The retailers claimed this is due to the budget proposal of increasing duties on tobacco products.

The cost per stick of Gold Leaf and Benson and Hedges, two popular brands of British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB), has increased by Tk 0.50.

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World No Tobacco Day observed 

World No Tobacco Day was observed across the country on Saturday as elsewhere in the world stressing the need for stopping tobacco use, especially among the youths.

This year's theme for the day was: Tobacco Free Youth: Safer and Healthier.

Some 85 percent young people, aged 12-24, out of 1.8 billion around the world, live in developing countries. . . .

Like every year, ADHUNIK, a leading anti-tobacco organization, observed through holding a discussion meeting at the National Press Club.

Speaking on the occasion, CAT (Coalition Against Tobacco) President and ADHUNIK Senior Vice-President Amanullah Khan said the youth community is the main target and victim of the tobacco companies. Because if tobacco companies could enlist the youth addicts, they would become their customers for life.

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ISLAM/JABBAR: The Tobacco Control Act: A disgraceful scenario 

the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare added to its fame and glory as the then Minister had the opportunity to preside over the FCTC (Framework Convention on tobacco Control) in the 56th World Health Assembly in presence of 172 countries of the world. The resolution was passed unanimously and Bangladesh was the first country to ratify.

A disgraceful scenario in implementing the Act

Despite the strength of Tobacco Control Act behind us, we visualise a disgraceful scene projecting the total failure in the implementation of the Act.

This is because the concerned authorities are indifferent in implementing the Tobacco Control Act. . . .

Conclusion

Bangladesh Tobacco Products Usages & Control Act-2005 is an admirable achievement of the Government and a victory for the tobacco antagonists.

ADHUNIK is a pioneer organisation in anti-tobacco campaign working for almost two decades since 1987 for such an Act in Bangladesh.

If the Government becomes conscious and the law enforcing authorities are made aware of their responsibilities, the implementation of the Act should not have been difficult, Ministry of Health can play vital role by declaring all medical institutes in the capital and the rural health centres tobacco free.

Civil society has also responsibility in this direction. We all need to work together for implementation of the Tobacco Control Act to achieve the objectives of the theme of the WHO this year - Tobacco Free Youth for ultimately building a tobacco free environment which is safer and healtheir.

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Tobacco cultivation going on in Nilphamari 

Though the government is trying to discourage farmers in cultivating tobacco in the country the cultivation of tobacco is not decreasing in Nilphamari district.

It is to be mentioned here that every year tobacco is being cultivated on vast tracts of land in the district. ssThis year, following the high prices of tobacco farmers are being encouraged in cultivating tobacco in the district.

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• Awareness, protests cut tobacco cultivation in southwestern districts 

Tobacco cultivation in seven southwestern districts which got a big boost several years ago is declining due to awareness about its harmful effect on soil and health following protests and campaign and also because of farmers' need to grow more food.

Farmers now say its cultivation decreases fertility and deposits harmful ingredients in soil.

According to sources in the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and officials of now defunct Tobacco Development Board (TDB), tobacco cultivation declined to 14000 hectares in the areas in the current season from last year's 17000 hectares. .. .

The seven districts known for tobacco cultivation are Kushtia, Meherpur, Jhenidah, Chuadanga, Magura, Jessore and Rajbari.

Tobacco cultivation increased in the country mainly at the behwest of cigarette and Bidi companies. Its main buyers were 17 companies including multinational British American Tobacco (BAT. . . .

According to sources, Bidi and cigarette companies have been using various 'unhealthy' techniques to lure farmers into tobacco farming for long. They provide interest-free loans, seeds, fertilisers, technical support and buy back facilities to farmers.

These companies have a large number of field workers to do the job. They lure farmers into tobacco cultivation, and get 'tips' from companies for 'good performance'.

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