They further said that youngsters are being encouraged to use tobacco by placing advertisements in tobacco shops and offering attractive prizes and various offers. Today, a youth-led campaign is being organized to raise awareness about tobacco control laws and the penalties for violating them. We know that under Section 5 of the Smoking and Tobacco Use Control Act 2005, all advertisements and promotions of tobacco and tobacco products are prohibited. Any person who violates this section shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or with a fine not exceeding one lakh rupees or with both, and if he commits the same offense for the second time or again, he shall be punishable with double the prescribed penalty.

Recognizing the devastating effects of tobacco and the importance of tobacco control, the Prime Minister has vowed to make Bangladesh tobacco free by January 31, 2040. In order to implement the conviction of the Prime Minister, the advertisement and promotion of all kinds of tobacco and tobacco products should be banned at the moment to control the use of tobacco. But ignoring the government's decision, the tobacco companies are engaged in propaganda to attract people from all walks of life, including the youth, through various attractive posters and stickers. In fact, on 16th and 24th November, a group of young and anti-tobacco comrades of the WBB Trust conducted anti-tobacco awareness programs in the raw market area of ​​Rayer Bazar and adjoining areas and in Dhanmondi Shankar and its adjoining areas against their tactics.

With this objective in mind, an awareness program was organized by WBB and in collaboration with Butter on Wednesday 18th November from 10.30 am to 12 noon at 10 shops in and around Rayer Bazar. During the course of the program, advertisements and advertisements in tobacco and tobacco products were also removed from several shops and later they were warned not to be distracted by the persuasion of the tobacco company and put up new tobacco company advertisements and promotional leaflets. During the program, the vendors of the shop said that they often lost their jobs and without the knowledge of the vendors, the agents of the tobacco company distributed or affixed various posters, stickers, display boxes of empty packets for display in the shops. However, in that program, the vendors automatically tear down and destroy the previous advertisements placed in the shops. During the conduct of the program, they were also made aware of the fines for violating the prohibition of advertising and promotion of all kinds of tobacco products. At the same time, buyers, sellers and pedestrians of other nearby shops also spontaneously supported the campaign. I am very happy to participate in the Tobacco and Tobacco Products Control Campaign and have gained a lot of experience through this program. As a social worker, I am proud to be part of the anti-smoking campaign. I think the campaign has been successful with the sincere efforts of every member of the team.