Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) organized a human chain program on the ‘demand of implementing the provision of putting ingredients, production and expiry date in all tobacco packages’ on 21 January 2017 at National Press Club.

The demonstration program was presided by Helal Ahmed, Acting Coordinator of BATA while Amir Hasan, President of Green Mind Society; DM Saklayen, President of Janashartho Foundation; Dr. Md Anowar, Executive Director of Manobadhikar Shangstha; Helal Uddin Ahmed, Secretary General of Swadesh Mrittika,  Syeda Anonna Rahman, Program Manager of WBB Trust; Shahadat Hossain Dipu, Tobacco Control activist of Prottyasha Anti-Drug Club; Shumon Sheikh, Tobacco Control activist of Monobik spoke. Towhid ud Dowla Reza, Project Officer of AID moderated the program.

Speakers said, ‘Tobacco use has been identified as the leading cause of premature death and diseases in the world. The government of Bangladesh have taken effective steps in tobacco control including  formulation of act, rules and made its amendment. When purchasing any product, it is very important for consumers to know about the manufacturing and expiration date of product, and the existing ingredients (bad and good). This is applicable for any product and it is the moral and legal basis of business. But, the cunning tobacco companies has been deceiving the consumers (smokers and tobacco users) since long.’

They also said,’ tobacco companies does not mention any date of manufacture and expire in all types of tobacco products packages including cigarette, bidi etc. As per Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009, every product wrapped in packet need to hold the names of ingredients, manufacturing and expiry dates which are ignored in case of tobacco packaging. Tobacco user (as consumer) has a right to know those information while buy any tobacco products.’

‘To increase public awareness about the harmful elements of tobacco products and to ensure consumers rights, it is important to implement the provisions of putting ingredients, manufacture and expiry date in all tobacco packages to make the Consumer Rights Protection Act more effective’, they added.