“Smoking is the gateway to any drug addiction”
— Hasan Mahmud MP
In“Growing Food, Not Tobacco”, Keeping the theme uphold, MANAS organized a day-long program on celebrating World No Tobacco Day 2023 at the National Museum on May 31, at 11 am. “Smoking is the gateway to any drug addiction. So, public awareness should be increased,” as stated by the Hon’ Minister of Information, Hasan Mahmud MP at the seminar He also mentioned that this is why the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had announced to make the country tobacco-free.
He welcomed everyone to come forward to implement this announcement. In the program was organized under the theme of ‘Growing Food, Not Tobacco’, the founding president of ‘MANAS’, heroic freedom fighter, Prof. Dr. Aruparatan Choudhury presided over the meeting. Ashish Pandey, Deputy Director of International Organization- The Union, Film Actor Ferdous Ahmed and Daffodil Family Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Nuruzzaman were the special guests. The welcome speech was given by the organizing secretary of MANAS, heroic freedom fighter Matiur Rahman Talukder.
Dr. Hasan Mahmud, MP also said that tobacco is being cultivated in some districts of Bangladesh. The government is working to ensure the environment, public health protection and food safety. In this case, it is necessary to focus on the use of tobacco cultivation land for food production. Our dream is to build a tobacco and drug-free Sonar Bangla with our youth. So, a massive mass campaign against tobacco and drugs is needed. The present government is working under the guidance of the Hon’ Prime Minister. Organizations like MANAS and individuals who are doing anti-tobacco and drug work, forget political differences. It is necessary for everyone to come forward. With the joint efforts of all, we can achieve a tobacco-free country.
Every year on 31st May World No Tobacco Day, ‘MANAS’ has been giving awards to notable individuals in various fields for their special contributions to anti-tobacco activities. This year, the 2023 “World No Tobacco Day” Non-Smoking Personality Award’ was awarded respectively to Hon’ Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud, MP. In the cultural arena, the popular film actor, model, and film producer as well as filmmaker Ferdous Ahmed and in the sports arena, the former captain and current selector of Bangladesh National Cricket Team, Mr. Habibul Bashar Sumon.
MANAS annual souvenir was unveiled on the occasion of the day. In the article, the founding president of MANAS, Professor Dr. Aruparatan Chowdhury stated that 99,600.24 acres of land in Bangladesh is being used for tobacco cultivation. The country’s food production is being disrupted and the land under food crops is decreasing due to cultivation. If this continues, it may create food crisis in future. There is a shortage of nutritious food in all the districts where tobacco is grown. Tobacco farming is also having adverse effects on the environment and animals. He also said that the amount of tobacco produced in 1 acre of land requires about 5 tons of wood to dry it. Forest land is increasingly being used for tobacco cultivation and processing. 30% of the country’s forests are cleared for tobacco burning alone. 29 lakh 32 thousand plants are burned in tobacco kilns every year. Pesticides and chemicals used in tobacco cultivation have caused irreparable damage to biodiversity, and fauna. 1 in 4 tobacco growers suffer from ‘green tobacco sickness’ poisoning. Among people in tobacco-prone areas especially: pregnant women suffer from various health problems. As they give birth to disabled, handicapped children, the rate of the disabled population is high in all those areas.
Cinematographer Ferdous Ahmed said, there are bad habits like promoting smoking scenes with the main character in the film and providing them with cigarettes. Many talented builders have left us prematurely due to smoking. I myself have quit smoking and avoid smoking while working on films. Smoking causes dullness of appearance and untimely old age in life, hence one cannot enjoy life. Bad breath results in youth smokers having trouble making friends. So, you should stay away from smoking and drugs.
Mohammad Nuruzzaman said, you don’t have to smoke cigarettes to be smart. Be smart in speech, and behavior. Only then can one become a good person and succeed in life. Desperate people who are addicted to tobacco and drugs are a burden to their families and the state.
Ashish Pandey said that tobacco cultivation on agricultural land is having a negative impact on food production in the country. A lot of trees are also cut down to process tobacco, which increases carbon and has a negative impact on the environment. Mentioning that Bangladesh is doing good work in tobacco control. He also said that only a few countries in the world have specific declarations of tobacco freedom, Bangladesh is one of them. The goal is to work together. Umme Jannat, Project Coordinator, MANAS was the program moderator. Besides, active participation of hundreds of students of Daffodil International University, Daffodil Polytechnic Institute, and Officials of various Anti-Tobacco Organizations made the event a grand success
