Tobacco companies are taking advantages of the existing law and continuing campaign of their products. Government should be strong to prevent tobacco related deaths and diseases and reduce the revenue expending for health costs. Any flexible policy will increase tobacco consumption which will obstructs public health promotion. Immediate action should be taken to amend tobacco control law and to impose high taxation on tobacco products. Speakers said above in a roundtable on “Importance of law amendment to counter obstructions on tobacco control law implementation on 19 May 2012. The program was organized by WBB Trust and was graced by Abdul Hye, Member of the Parliament, Jhenaidah-1 while Dr. Md. Akramul Islam, Assistant Director, Health Program of BRAC, Ishrat Chowdhury, Technical Advisor of The Union, Aminul Islam Bakul, Executive Director of Action in Development (AID) were present as special guests. The program was convened by the project coordinator of WBB Trust Aminul Islam Sujon.

The speakers said that tobacco companies are inspiring users to tobacco consumption by violating the law but it is not protected with strong and comprehensive legal actions. The companies are getting opportunities to spread markets of these fatal products for the indifference towards their activities and sometimes for flexible policy formation. These should be strengthened through tightening the law.

They added that food security is precondition for nation’s development. But tobacco is taking most of the arable lands of the country which increases food shortages. Food shortage will be more acute in near future. Tobacco farming affects water, soil, air and environment all together.

The speakers also added that most of the people of Bangladesh are illiterate and tobacco control program should be undertaken taking the issue into mind. The current tobacco health warnings are difficult for these illiterate sects of people.  39 countries have provisions for graphic tobacco health warnings on tobacco packets. But in Bangladesh only written health warnings are at work despite illiteracy of large number of people.    

They also added that Tobacco companies are hiding their illicit acts under the shadow of “Corporate Social Responsibility” and also seeking sympathy from the policy makers. They are motivating policy makers and government officials regarding the issues. So, a comprehensive guideline should be developed on the mutual issues and affairs between Tobacco Company and Government. This type of policy can save government policy from the impacts of tobacco companies. Stress was given on avoiding all the propaganda of tobacco companies and all flexible actions for tobacco companies, imposing high taxation on tobacco products to ensure alternative employment for the workers involved in tobacco industries and immediate law amendment for strengthened law.

Besides, Nazmul Hayder of YPSA, famous educationist Professor A M Muazzem Hossain, Helal Ahmed of Prottyasha, S M Saikat of SERAC Bangladesh and A T M Shahidul Islam of RAAC spoke in the function.