DAE declares all offices tobacco-free to protect public health

The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has officially declared all its offices and premises across the country as 100 per cent smoke and tobacco-free, aiming to protect public health and shield non-smokers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke.

The declaration was made on Tuesday during a discussion titled “Declaration of the Department of Agricultural Extension as a 100 per cent Smoke and Tobacco-Free Institution” held at the department’s conference room in Dhaka.

Announcing the decision, Dr Md Hazrat Ali, Director of the Horticulture Wing of the DAE, said the harmful effects of tobacco use extend beyond smokers and pose serious health risks to non-smokers through exposure to second-hand smoke.

Addressing the event as chief guest, he said the use of smokeless tobacco products also contributes to oral cancer and other serious illnesses. He announced that the use, sale and promotion of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, biris, zarda, gul and sada pata, would be completely prohibited on all DAE premises from Tuesday.

He said the measure had been adopted to protect officers, employees and service recipients from the adverse effects of tobacco consumption and second-hand smoke.

In his welcome address, AHM Noman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DORP, said Bangladesh remains one of the world’s largest consumers of tobacco products. He noted that tobacco use prevalence in Bangladesh stands at 35.3 per cent, higher than India’s 28.6 per cent and Pakistan’s 19.1 per cent, underscoring the need for stronger tobacco control measures.

Presenting the keynote paper, Zeba Afroza, Coordinator of the Tobacco Control Project, cited data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2017, saying around 38.4 million adults in Bangladesh are exposed to second-hand smoke daily in workplaces, public places and public transport. She added that 42.7 per cent of adults face exposure to second-hand smoke in indoor workplaces, while more than 61,000 children under the age of 15 suffer from illnesses linked to such exposure.

Referring to a study by Johns Hopkins University, she said the government earned approximately Tk 41,000 crore in tobacco tax revenue during the 2024-25 fiscal year. However, the economic burden arising from tobacco-related deaths, diseases and environmental damage reached nearly Tk 87,000 crore, more than twice the revenue generated from the sector.

Afroza also highlighted the environmental and agricultural costs of tobacco cultivation, saying it occupies large areas of fertile farmland that could otherwise be used for food production and more profitable crops. Excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in tobacco farming, she said, damages soil fertility and productivity and contributes to long-term environmental degradation.

She argued that cultivating alternative high-value crops could increase farmers’ incomes while benefiting both public health and the environment.

Chairing the meeting, Dr Salma Laiju, Director of the Crops Wing of the DAE, reaffirmed the department’s commitment to maintaining a tobacco-free environment. She said the initiative would help protect nearly 86,000 officers and employees working in around 600 DAE offices nationwide, as well as thousands of farmers and service seekers who visit those offices every day.

She expressed hope that the collective efforts of officials and staff would contribute to strengthening the country’s tobacco control programme and advancing the goal of a tobacco-free Bangladesh.

Following the meeting, public notices, signboards and stickers promoting smoke-free and tobacco-free premises were installed at key locations across the Department of Agricultural Extension.