Bangladesh’s Expanded Tobacco Control Law Will Save Lives, Protect Young People from Addiction
Statement of Smita Baruah, Executive Vice President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Washington, D.C. – The government of Bangladesh has approved an ordinance amending the country’s existing tobacco control law, which will strengthen and expand lifesaving public health measures. The expansion is a move that will save lives and protect millions of young people from lifelong addiction to tobacco and nicotine products.
As part of the new amendments, Bangladesh will now require pictorial health warnings to cover 75 percent of all tobacco product packaging and will ban the sale of tobacco products within 100 meters of schools, health facilities, playgrounds and children’s parks and restrict all forms of tobacco advertising including in online and digital platforms and at points of sale. The country will also prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches. In addition, the ordinance paves the way for the implementation of standardized packaging of tobacco products and simplifies the procedure for lodging complaints about violations of the law.
The ordinance also introduces prohibitions on smoking and the use of e-cigarettes in all public places and on public transport – a move that will protect millions from exposure to deadly secondhand smoke and help ensure a healthier future for all Bangladeshis.
Bangladesh’s comprehensive tobacco control ordinance is a significant win for public health and reflects the efforts of a network of champions who advocated for these lifesaving measures, despite intense opposition from powerful tobacco companies. In Bangladesh and around the world, tobacco companies fight hardest against the measures they know work to drive down smoking rates and impact their profits.
As Bangladesh moves to implement this new ordinance, it is important for the government to address cessation as part of its approach to reducing the harm of tobacco products. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids commends the government of Bangladesh for making such strong policy reforms to improve the lives of all Bangladeshis and stands ready to support this important public health law.