Journalists, health experts, and anti-tobacco campaigners have called for urgent amendments to the tobacco control law, along with a push for more active involvement from the media in curbing tobacco use.
During a roundtable discussion held today (9 October), they put forward key recommendations, including banning the production of e-cigarettes, ending single-stick cigarette sales, and strengthening health warnings on tobacco packaging.
The event on “The Role of Journalists in Making a Tobacco-Free Bangladesh: Expectations and Actions” organised by Nari Maitree, provided a platform for key stakeholders to engage in a thoughtful dialogue on this critical issue.
Addressing the event, Sohrab Hasan, joint editor of Prothom Alo, stressed the urgency of strengthening tobacco control laws to prevent further loss of life due to tobacco-related diseases. He also said that many lives are being lost annually, and the current legal framework needs to be more robust in addressing this public health issue.
Echoing his sentiments, Shamim Mehedi, chief executive officer of Global TV, raised concerns about the growing popularity of e-cigarettes among youth. He emphasised that more stringent measures are necessary to curb their marketing, which has been increasingly targeting young people.
Md Mostafizur Rahman, lead policy advisor for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Bangladesh highlighted the alarming impact of tobacco use in Bangladesh, noting that it claims 161,000 lives each year. He called on the media to play a more active role in advocating for stronger tobacco control laws, urging them to amplify their efforts in raising public awareness.
Professor Golam Mohiuddin Faruque, Oncologist and President of the Bangladesh Cancer Society, drew attention to the significant link between tobacco use and cancer. “Tobacco is responsible for nearly one-third of all cancer-related deaths worldwide,” he stated, stressing the importance of controlling tobacco to reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases.
Shaheen Akter Dolly, executive director of Nari Maitree, who chaired the event, highlighted the harmful effects of secondhand smoke, which exposes around 38.4 million people in Bangladesh each year, disproportionately affecting women and children.
She advocated for swift action on passing the amended tobacco control law, emphasising the severe impact of secondhand smoke on women’s reproductive health and child mortality.
Several distinguished personalities from various media backgrounds, notably Rashed Rabbi, President of the Health Reporters Forum; Shahnaz Begum Polly, Member of the Executive Committee of the National Press Club; and Zulhas Alam, Dhaka Bureau Chief of the New York-based international news agency Associated Press (AP) and member of the Executive Committee of the National Press Club, were also present at the event.
