A group of anti-tobacco organisations on Friday launched a month-long campaign aimed at disseminating knowledge about the anti-tobacco law, the ‘Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Act- 2013’ to create mass awareness. The organisers termed tobacco a very much injurious item causing serious health hazards, including cancer and other diseases, which claim lives of at least 57,000 people and cripple 3.8 lakh more every year in Bangladesh. Marking the launch of the campaign, the organisers held a procession from in front of National Museum to National Press Club in the capital at 10:30am, where several hundred people attended to raise their voice against the negative impacts of smoking or consumption of the tobacco products. Five private TV channels –Independent, Ekakattar, Desh TV, Banglavision and ATN Bangla– would telecast advertisements to create awareness among people against smoking and tobacco.
Representatives of the anti-tobacco organisations, including Tamak Birodhi Nari Jote, United Forum against Tobacco, Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, Odhir Foundation, Media Museum, EC Bangladesh and Progga, took part in the campaign.
The campaigners hope that the campaign with the association of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Bloomberg Philanthropies would be able to spread comprehensive idea about the tobacco law, users and sellers of tobacco and law enforcing agencies.
The Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Act- 2013 became law in 2013 with three important provisions– considering bidi, cigarette, cheroot, gul, jarda, khoinee, sadapata, cigar and mixture consumed through pipe or hukkah as tobacco products; prohibiting advertisement and promotion of tobacco products and controlling sponsorship– and if any person contravenes the provisions, he/she should be penalised with a fine of Tk one lakh or simple imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or both; and making or selling tobacco or tobacco products to any person under the age of 18 will carry a fine of up to Tk 5,000.
-With The Independent input
