Government has taken several initiatives to discourage the production, marketing and use of tobacco products to protect public health. Despite of achieving enviable progress in tobacco control, there are some notable contradictions in Bangladesh. It’s a matter of concern that, government and government organizations has shares in one of the most lethal toxic tobacco products producing company British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) and four top government officials (secretaries from different ministries) are representing in its board of directors. According to recent media published, secretary of Agriculture, Labor and Employment, Industry ministry are in British American Tobacco Company (BAT) as Board of Directors. Considering public health and ethical ground and to continue effective government’s tobacco control program according to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), it is necessary to withdraw shares from death-stick seller BATB, as well as government representation at the BATBs board of directors. 

In a sit-in program organized by Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) on 23 November 2016 in front of National press Club, anti-tobacco activists opined this demand. ‘On one hand government's efforts on tobacco control, on the other hand government’s shares in tobacco company and attempt of receiving profits from discouraged product and representation of govt. officials in BATB’s board of directors creates questions about tobacco control efforts to the people’, speakers said. Beforehand it showed that, tricky tobacco companies have invaded tobacco control programs by influencing various ways. To implement Prime Minister’s conviction of tobacco free Bangladesh by 2040, it is necessary to withdraw government officials from BAT’s board of directors.

Helal Ahmed, Acting Coordinator of BATA and secretary general of Prattyasha Anti-Drug’s Club presided over the program and Syeda Anonna Rahman, Program Manger of Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust; Shumon Sheikh, Tobacco Control Activist of Madok o Nesha Birodhi Council (Manobik); Md. Mohiuddin Rasel, Research Assistant of Tobacco control and Research cell (TCRC) of Dhaka International University; Md. Anwar Hossain, Human Rights Activists spoke in the program. The event moderated by Abu Rayhan, assistant project officer of WBB Trust.