Department of Cooperatives 100 percent smoke and tobacco-free

Staff Reporter

The Department of Cooperatives has been officially declared a 100 percent smoke and tobacco-free institution.

The announcement was made by Mohammad Hafizul Haider Chowdhury, Additional Registrar (Administration, Mass Education and Finance), on Thursday at the Titas Conference Hall of the Department of Cooperatives.

The declaration came during a consultative meeting titled “Declaring All Offices of the Department of Cooperatives as 100% Smoke and Tobacco-Free”, jointly organized by the Department of Cooperatives and the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor-DORP, as part of efforts to achieve a tobacco-free Bangladesh.

In his remarks as chair, he stated that the declaration was made in accordance with Section 4, Sub-section 1 of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, which prohibits smoking and the use of tobacco products in all public places and public transport.

He emphasized that the harmful effects of smoking are not limited to smokers alone; non-smokers are equally at risk.

Since a large number of people visit the Department of Cooperatives every day, making the workplace smoke and tobacco-free would not only protect employees but also ensure that service recipients are safeguarded from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke.

The welcome address was delivered by AHM Noman, Founder and Chief Executive of DORP, while the keynote paper was presented by Zeba Afroza, Coordinator of the Tobacco Control Project.

Referring to data from GATS 2017, she noted that 38.4 million adults in Bangladesh are exposed to second-hand smoke every day in workplaces, public places, and public transport.

Nearly 42.7 percent of adults are exposed to second-hand smoke in covered workplaces. In addition, more than 61,000 children under the age of 15 are suffering from diseases caused by second-hand smoke.

The meeting was moderated by Deputy Registrar Shakila Haque. Among the discussants were Additional Registrar (Cooperative Management) Zebun Nahar and former Secretary Md. Azhar Ali Talukdar, among others.

Participants at the meeting called for the amended Tobacco Control Ordinance 2025 to be passed into law by the upcoming Thirteenth National Parliament in order to curb tobacco-related diseases and deaths.

They also urged political parties to prioritize the ordinance in their election manifestos and to highlight tobacco control issues in their election campaigns.

At the conclusion of the meeting, anti-smoking and anti-tobacco message signboards and stickers were installed at key locations within the Department of Cooperatives.