Health Ministry committed to stronger tobacco control measures: Health Minister

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is committed to taking all necessary initiatives for tobacco control to protect public health, said Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain on Sunday.

He said “The Health Ministry has already sent a written proposal to the Ministry of Finance to increase the prices and taxes on all types of tobacco products.”

A delegation from the research and advocacy organisation PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and the Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) met with Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain, MP.

During the meeting, the organisations presented a letter of appreciation to the Minister for his pivotal role in protecting public health and fostering a tobacco-free generation through the passage of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Act, 2026.

During the meeting, PROGGA-ATMA stated that measures in the amended law, such as the elimination of Designated Smoking Areas (DSAs), the ban on the sale of tobacco products around educational institutions and hospitals, and the prohibition of tobacco advertisements on digital platforms, will play a highly positive role in safeguarding public health.

However, deep concern was expressed regarding the omission of provisions banning e-cigarettes, vaping, nicotine pouches, and other new-generation tobacco products from the law would escalate the risk of a new wave of nicotine addiction among the youth.

Simultaneously, the Ministry of Health was urged to take strong initiatives to effectively increase taxes and prices on all tobacco products in the upcoming national budget, pushing them beyond the purchasing power of the youth.

The delegation further highlighted that currently, around 37.8 million people in Bangladesh use tobacco, and tobacco-related diseases claim approximately 200,000 lives every year. Therefore, alongside the effective enforcement of the law, immediate steps must be taken against e-cigarettes and other new-generation tobacco products.

The meeting was attended by Mortuza Haider Liton, Convenor of ATMA; Nadira Kiron, Co-convenor of ATMA; Md. Shafiqul Islam and Altaf Hossain, Members of ATMA; and Md. Monowar Hossain, Director of PROGGA.