25m people exposed to second-hand smoke on public transport
Around 25 million people in Bangladesh are exposed to second-hand smoke while travelling on public transport, prompting calls for urgent measures to make all public transport completely tobacco- and smoke-free.
Stakeholders made the call at a meeting titled Way Forward to Ensure Tobacco-Free Public Transport, organised jointly by Dhaka Ahsania Mission and the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) at the BRTA conference room in Banani on Wednesday.
They urged the authorities to strictly enforce existing tobacco control laws, ensure the mandatory display of “No Tobacco Use and No Smoking” signs and warning notices on public transport, and strengthen enforcement of penalties for smoking and tobacco use in public places.
BRTA Chairman Mohammad Habibur Rahman said more than 61,000 public transport drivers had received training on tobacco and smoke-free transport systems with support from Dhaka Ahsania Mission since 2019.
“As part of capacity-building activities to ensure a sustainable tobacco- and smoke-free public transport system, more than 61,000 public transport drivers have been trained with the support of Dhaka Ahsania Mission since 2019,” he said, adding that the initiative would continue to protect passengers and transport workers.
Shariful Islam, coordinator of the Tobacco Control Project at Dhaka Ahsania Mission, presented the keynote paper, citing data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2017.
According to the data, about 37.8 million people in Bangladesh use tobacco products, including around 19.2 million smokers, while nearly 40 million non-smokers are exposed to second-hand smoke.
He said approximately 44 per cent of people were exposed to second-hand smoke on public transport, making the issue a significant public health concern.
The speakers said passengers, particularly women and children, were often involuntarily exposed to tobacco smoke when drivers and their assistants smoked inside public transport vehicles.
They stressed that exposure to second-hand smoke posed serious health risks to non-smokers and called for strict implementation of the existing tobacco control legislation.
The stakeholders urged the BRTA to formulate and implement an effective mechanism to enforce fines prescribed under the tobacco control law for smoking and tobacco use on public transport and in public places.
They said strict enforcement was necessary to ensure that neither passengers nor drivers and helpers were allowed to smoke inside public transport vehicles.
The meeting also proposed displaying legally required “No Tobacco Use and No Smoking” signs and mandatory health warning notices at all BRTA offices, including divisional and circle offices, as well as on public transport.
Other recommendations included regular tobacco-control awareness programmes involving transport owners, drivers and workers, and greater dissemination of information on tobacco control laws through the BRTA website, social media and other communication channels.
The speakers also called for greater awareness among transport owners and transport businesses about the legal restrictions on tobacco use and the health risks associated with smoking. They suggested printing anti-smoking messages on bus tickets as another means of reaching passengers.
They emphasised the need for effective implementation of the Tobacco Control Act, as amended in 2026, and stressed coordinated action by government agencies, transport authorities and other stakeholders to establish a sustainable tobacco-free public transport system.
Dr Mahin Malik, regional director (Programs), South Asia and Jordan, CTFK, attended the meeting as the distinguished guest.
Dr SM Khalilur Rahman, vice-president of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, delivered the welcome speech.
Mostafizur Rahman, former chairman of BCIC; Mukhlesur Rahman, deputy director of the Health & Nutrition Sector of Dhaka Ahsania Mission; and senior BRTA officials were also present.
