PROGGA, Anti-tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) and 'Pratyasha' anti drug's club with support from Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids (CTFK) have jointly organized a human chain carrying "Symbolic Corpses" on 15 October 2022 in front of the National Press Club, Dhaka where speakers voiced their demands for immediate finalization of the tobacco control law amendment. Speakers said that tobacco-related illness claims around 161,000 lives each year in Bangladesh. The longer policymakers delay with the finalization of TC law, the larger tobacco's trail of deaths grows.
The latest amendment proposal contains a number of global best practices including eliminating Designated Smoking Areas (DSAs), outlawing so-called corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs of tobacco companies, increasing the area allotted for graphic health warning (GHW) to 90 percent from existing 50 percent, banning the sale of loose sticks, banning the display of tobacco products, and also banning e-cigarettes and other vaping products.
It was informed during the event that the necessary stages of the amendment (preparing the draft proposal, releasing the draft on the website, and collecting opinions from stakeholders) have already been accomplished by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). Unfortunately, tobacco companies have launched a campaign of lies and rumors to derail this initiative. As a party to WHO FCTC, Bangladesh, however, is committed to protecting the tobacco control policies and other measures from vested commercial and other interests of tobacco companies. FCTC Article 5.3, in particular, recommends governments to remain free from tobacco industry interference while formulating and implementing tobacco control law.
Representatives from Shastho Surokkha Foundation, TCRC, DORP, National Heart Foundation, NATAB, Dhumpan Madok Durniti Birodhi Foundation, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, and many other anti-tobacco organizations participated at the event. The event has been covered extensively by major media houses (100 reports; 91 newspaper/online and 09 TV reports)
