Dhaka WASA pledges tobacco-free environment across all offices
Dhaka WASA has pledged to ensure a smoke and tobacco products-free environment across all its offices, with greater emphasis on enforcing relevant provisions of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005 (Amendment 2026).
The commitment was made by A K A M Fazlul Haque, Deputy Managing Director (Human Resources and Administration) of Dhaka WASA, while speaking as chief guest at a discussion meeting on Wednesday.
The meeting, titled “Ensuring a Smoke and Tobacco Products Usage Free Environment in All Dhaka WASA Offices”, was jointly organised by Dhaka WASA and Development Organisation of the Rural Poor (DORP) at WASA Bhaban in the capital on September 30.
Fazlul Haque said continuous initiatives would be undertaken in coordination with relevant stakeholders to respond to the demand for smoke and tobacco-free workplaces across Dhaka WASA.
Zeba Afroza, coordinator of DORP’s Tobacco Control Project, presented the keynote paper at the meeting. She said a significant proportion of Bangladesh’s adult population uses tobacco products, while millions are exposed to secondhand smoke in workplaces, public places and public transport.
Citing the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2017, she said around 37.8 million adults in Bangladesh use tobacco products, while approximately 38.4 million adults are exposed to secondhand smoke in workplaces, public places and public transport.
According to the survey, 42.7 per cent of adults were exposed to secondhand smoke in indoor workplaces, 44 per cent on public transport and around 49 per cent in restaurants.
Referring to a study published in The Lancet, Zeba said around 1.7 million people worldwide died from exposure to secondhand smoke in 2023.
She stressed that secondhand smoke poses serious health risks and that protecting workplaces and public gathering spaces from its harmful effects is essential.
Zeba also said tobacco-related diseases and premature deaths were putting significant pressure on Bangladesh’s public health system and economy.
She said around 200,000 people die prematurely every year from tobacco-related diseases, while the economic cost of tobacco use, including healthcare expenditure and productivity losses, is estimated at around Tk 870 billion.
Describing tobacco control as an important public health priority, she expressed hope that Dhaka WASA’s initiative would set an example for other public and private institutions across the country.
The meeting was chaired by Dhaka WASA Secretary Muhammad Abdul Hai Milton.
Referring to the Prime Minister’s message on World No Tobacco Day 2026, Milton said the government had expressed its commitment to protecting children, adolescents and future generations from the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine.
He said the prohibition of smoking and tobacco use in public places and on public transport was part of the government’s commitment towards fulfilling that pledge.
Speakers at the meeting stressed the need to increase public awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco, strengthen Dhaka WASA’s institutional capacity for tobacco control and ensure coordinated action among relevant stakeholders.
They also emphasised proper implementation of existing laws and regulations to create a healthy, smoke-free and tobacco-free workplace.
Representatives of DORP said coordinated initiatives would be taken to install necessary public notices, warning signs and other relevant materials at Dhaka WASA offices.
They said continuous activities would also be carried out to help ensure a healthy, safe and tobacco-free working environment for Dhaka WASA employees.
Officials from different levels of Dhaka WASA and representatives of DORP attended the discussion.
