Retired govt employees urge swift tobacco control rules to protect public health

The Bangladesh Retired Government Employees Welfare Association has called on the government to swiftly formulate the Rules under the amended Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005 (Amended 2026), urging stronger tobacco control measures to safeguard public health and protect young people from the growing threat of emerging nicotine products.

The call came at a discussion titled “Protecting Public Health from the Harmful Effects of Tobacco: The Way Forward”, jointly organised by the Bangladesh Retired Government Employees Welfare Association and the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor (DORP) at Obosor Bhaban in the capital on Tuesday.

Speakers at the event stressed that the prompt implementation of the amended law was essential to reducing tobacco use and preventing the spread of new nicotine products, including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, particularly among children and adolescents.

Md. Ismail Hossain, Administrator of the Bangladesh Retired Government Employees Welfare Association, said protecting public health and ensuring effective tobacco control were among the major commitments outlined in the current government’s election manifesto.

He noted that on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day 2026, Prime Minister Tarek Rahman had reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting children, adolescents and future generations from the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine products.

According to Hossain, discouraging the use of tobacco and nicotine products and shielding future generations from their harmful consequences remain among the government’s highest priorities in building a healthy and productive nation.

Retired Secretary Md. Shamsul Alam Khan expressed concern over the inclusion of taxes on nicotine pouches, nicotine granules and Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) in the national budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year.

He argued that the taxation of these products effectively granted them legal recognition and could encourage market expansion, increasing nicotine addiction, particularly among children, adolescents and young people.

He urged the government to introduce timely and effective policy measures to prevent the rapid spread of these emerging nicotine products.

Mohammad Ali, Director of the Bangladesh Retired Government Employees Welfare Association, said Bangladesh had the highest tobacco use prevalence in South Asia, with 35.3 per cent of the population using tobacco products.

He said tobacco-related diseases caused nearly 200,000 premature deaths every year, while the economic cost of tobacco-related health and environmental damage reached approximately BDT 87,000 crore in 2024, more than double the revenue generated from the tobacco sector.

He stressed that the amended tobacco control law must be strictly enforced and that effective steps were needed to curb the spread of emerging nicotine products in order to protect public health.

The speakers welcomed the government’s amendment of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005, expressing hope that the commitments outlined in the election manifesto would be translated into stronger tobacco control policies through the early formulation of the implementing Rules.

They also reaffirmed the Association’s commitment to supporting the government’s efforts to build a tobacco-free Bangladesh and pledged to actively contribute to initiatives aimed at protecting future generations from the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine products.