Dhaka City Corporation will take strong steps to implement the tobacco control act. The Chief Health Officer of Dhaka North City Corporation Brig. general A.K.M Masud Ahsan stated this in a seminar held in the City Corporation auditorium on 23rd July 2015. He presided a seminar titled “Role of City Corporations to Implement the Tobacco Control Act”, arranged jointly by Dhaka North City Corporation and Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust.

S.M Mahbubur Rahman, GM (Transport), Dhaka North City Corporation and Ms Gaous Pearee Mukti, Director (Admin), WBB Trust gave Speech on this issue. The program has been conducted by Dr. Md. Emdadul Haque, Health Officer, Dhaka North City Corporation. WBB Trust’s National Advocacy Officer Syeda Anonna Rahman presented her research paper in the seminar.

Syeda Anonna Rahman point out that tobacco companies are setting up cigarette shops near the educational institutions and in the cities here and there. Violating the act these companies are promoting tobacco products by using different innovative advertising strategies. Specially they are influencing the young generations to get addicted to tobacco by setting cigarette shops in front of educational institutions. It is required to stop selling tobacco and seizing of point of sale with cigarette advertisement within 200 meter of educational institutions. City Corporation can do it by their own authority.

S.M Mahbubur Rahman stated that the tobacco control act is a remarkable initiative of govt. He also said that Dhaka North City Corporation will work on aborting the illegal advertisement and will take necessary steps to implement different clauses of this act within its jurisdiction area.

Brig. general A.K.M Masud Ahsan said that the tobacco act has prohibited any kind of promotional activities. But tobacco companies are violating the law. By this time Dhaka North City Corporation has been declared smoking free zone. City Corporation will take initiative to implement tobacco control act through Magistrate and Sanitary Inspector. Now it is obligatory to move jointly to implement the act.

In the concluding speech Gaous Pearee showed her gratitude to City Corporation authority for taking today’s initiative. She said initiative should be taken to control on the use of harmful fast food and cold drinks like tobacco. She also ensured that WBB Trust will always work on implementing this act for the well being of the nation.

Besides that Dr. Md. Aminul Islam, Surveillance Medical officer, WHO; Dr. Rubaiyat Fatema and Dr. Asifur Rahman, Dhaka North City Corporation, Inspector Controller Officer Abu Nader Siddique; Abdul Khaleque Mozumder Md. Khalilur Rahman and Abdus Salam,Sanitary Inspector; Mahfida Dina Rubaiya, Project Manager (UPHCSDP), Dhaka Ahsania Mission; Rachana Akter Mitu, Project Manager, Naree Maitri etc. was present in the seminar.