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National Tobacco
Control Cell
established under
the Ministry of
Health & Family
Welfare
with the support of
WHO
The “World No
Tobacco Day” was
observed all over
Bangladesh, as
elsewhere in the
world, on May 31,
2007. This year’s
theme for the Day
was "Smoke-free
inside: Create and
enjoy 100%
smoke-free
environments". The
purpose of the Day
was to focus on the
dangers of using
tobacco, the
business practices
of tobacco
companies, what WHO
is doing to fight
the tobacco
epidemic, and what
people around the
world can do to
protect the right to
health and healthy
living for
themselves and for
future generations.
Several colourful
rallies and
awareness meetings
took place on the
day in all the
districts including
the capital. The
main inaugural
session was at
Osmani Memorial
Auditorium, Dhaka of
which the Secretary
of the Ministry of
Health and Family
Welfare was the
chief guest.
Other events
included round-table
discussion by
journalist forum,
anti-tobacco musical
concerts, folk song
rallies, advocacy
meetings,
declaration of
smoke-free places,
removal of tobacco
advertisements,
mobile court to
enforce law. Similar
events took place
all over the
country. The media
had special coverage
of these events
while many TV
channels and the
radio put out
special programmes
to mark the World No
Tobacco Day 2007.
Mr Ehsan Ul Fattah,
the secretary said
in his speech
“Bangladesh has
enacted a tobacco
control law in 2005
in accordance with
some of the
provisions of WHO
FCTC. The tobacco
control policy and
plan of action has
been developed with
the assistance of
WHO for
comprehensive
tobacco control in
Bangladesh for three
years, 2007-2010.”
GoB has set up a
National Tobacco
Control Cell to
implement the plan
of action with the
help of World Health
Organization, he
added.
Dr Khaled Hassan the
acting WR Bangladesh
in his speech
thanked the
Government of
Bangladesh for
establishing a
Tobacco Control Cell
under the Ministry
of Health & Family
Welfare. “The
tobacco control
policy and plan of
action has provided
a framework for
comprehensive
tobacco control and
the major activities
to achieve the
objectives include
awareness creation,
enforcement of the
law through multi-sectoral
approach,
sensitization for
school curriculum
development, and
tobacco cessation.
Partnership is
highly encouraged,
especially
involvement of NGOs”
he added.
In his key note
presentation Dr M
Mostafa Zaman,
National
Professional Officer
(NCD), WHO informed
the audience--
tobacco, is the
second-highest
leading risk factor
for global deaths.
Currently it causes
5 million deaths
worldwide. One in
ten adults dies from
health conditions
caused by tobacco
consumption
worldwide. If
current smoking
patterns continue
unabated then it is
possible that some
10 million deaths
may occur each year
by the year 2020.
Most of these deaths
occur in developing
countries like
Bangladesh. A study
carried by out by
WHO in 2004-05
revealed that
tobacco is causing
about 57 thousand
deaths annually
among Bangladeshi
people aged 30 years
or above as a result
of active smoking.
This figure would be
much higher when
effects of passive
smoking are taken
into account. A
large proportion of
those deaths could
be prevented or
averted with
effective control of
all types of
tobacco.
In his presentation
Dr Zaman emphasized
that most of the
people including
youths and students
of professional
subjects are exposed
to secondhand smoke
both at their home
and public places.
Most of them support
absolute ban on
smoking in public
places. This means
that any initiative
from the Government
to expand the
definition of
“Public Places” will
get a huge support.
The World Health
Organization (WHO)
has supported the
Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare (MOHFW)
of the Bangladesh
Government in its
effort to contain
smoking, both active
and passive.
WHO-commissioned
studies, carried out
in many parts of the
world, including
Bangladesh, have
shown that smoking
causes tremendous
damage to health and
the burden of
disease from
tobacco-induced
illnesses is higher,
in economic terms,
than the benefits
derived from the
tobacco industry.
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