TOBACCO CONTROL

MANAS & Tobacco Control Brief in Bangladesh

MANAS became one of the leading anti-tobacco organization in Bangladesh for the last 31 years. MANAS organized regular lectures at the educational institutions with IEC materials and created more than 100 educational institutes smoke free.

MANAS has been celebrating World No Tobacco Day since 1989 and involved former president, speaker and whip of parliament, ministers, MPs, national award winner actor-actress and singers.

MANAS produced several TV spots, short films, TV shows and a full-length movie (Shorgo Theke Norok).

MANAS working to create awareness on tobacco control in policy level for the advance tobacco control in Bangladesh. MANAS also sensitize mass people, media and eminent personalities/celebrities on tobacco control issues.

MANAS is currently implementing a project under The Union and Blomberg Initiatives.

Title of the project: “Strengthening TC law and divestment of Government shares from BATB towards Prime Minister declaration on tobacco-free Bangladesh [BANGLADESH-28-26] “.

Funder Organization: The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union)

Project Duration: November 2021 to July 2023             

Specific objectives of the Project are:

  1. To support the NTCC on health development surcharge utilization procedure for sustainable funding on tobacco control.
  2. To sensitize all relevant stakeholders on Harms of tobacco use and gain their support to advance tobacco control in Bangladesh.
  3. To support the government in development of country specific guidelines on TII and divestment of government shares form BATB

Tobacco Control Brief in Bangladesh:

Bangladesh signed & ratified the WHO FCTC and passed “Smoking and Tobacco Products Using (Control) Law 2005” that was amended in 2013 and Rules 2015 notified. This law banned: smoking in public places and public transports, tobacco advertisements and promotions, and sales to and by minors. Also introduced graphical health warnings on 50% surface area of tobacco packs.

Bangladesh is one of the cheapest tobacco products market in the world. Tobacco consumers are also high in the country due to low prices and its availability. However, prevalence of tobacco use is still very high. Among 15 years and above, 37.8 million (35.3%) people using any forms of tobacco products (46% men & 25.2% women) that includes 19.2 million smokers (36.2% men & 0.8% women) and 22 million smokeless tobacco users (16.2% men & 24.8% women). Many more people are exposed to tobacco smoke in various public places and transports (GATS 2017).

Among 13 to 15 years, nearly 7% usages any form of tobacco, but more were exposed to tobacco smoke and tobacco advertisements. Those bought cigarettes from POS, 86.1% were not prevented from buying cigarettes because of their age (GYTS 2013).

The rate of tobacco use is higher among the poor. Bangladesh is one of the top 10 tobacco consuming countries in the world. There is a high rate of tobacco use among the people in Bangladesh. Thus, the incidence of tobacco-related diseases and mortality is much higher in Bangladesh than in other parts of the world. More than 1 lakh 61 thousand people die of tobacco related diseases every year (Tobacco Atlas 2016).

According to a study in 2016, tobacco caused an economic loss of Tk 30,560 crore (by American Cancer Society, Bangladesh Cancer Society, University of Dhaka) which is about 1.4% of GDP.

Bangladesh has made progress towards reducing tobacco use. But Tobacco Industries (TI) still by passing the law & continues advertisement and promotional activities at the point of sales and media (movie and TV). TI’s also continuing CSR activities in which they engaged policy makers and government officials that cause to interfere and weakened public health policies. Government holds share of BATB and top-level government officials representing BATB boards.

This project will support and strengthened the on-going government work. This project will also support government to utilize Health Development Surcharge for tobacco control and create favorable environment to withdraw government share from BAT’’B and protect TI interference through supporting the national campaign.

 Major initiatives for control tobacco in Bangladesh:

  1.  Signed Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) 2003, Ratified in 2004
  2.  Enactment of Smoking and Tobacco Products Uses Control Act (2005) (amended in 2013).
  3.  Government formed the National Tobacco Control Cell in 2007 and Formation of National, District and Upazila Task Force Committees for implementation of Tobacco Control Law.
  4.  Imposed 1% health development surcharge on all tobacco products from FY 2014-2015.
  5.  Formulation of tobacco control rules in 2015.
  6.  Illustrated graphical health warnings on all tobacco products started printing on March 19, 2016.
  7.  Hon’ble Prime Minister announced to build a tobacco free Bangladesh by 2040 at the South Asian Speaker’s Summit in 2016.
  8. Health Development Surcharge Management Policy 2017 was passed.
  9. Smoke free Health Care Center Guideline adopted in 2018.
  10. Approved Tobacco Free Hospitality Sector Implementation Guidelines by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.
  11. Approved guidelines for implementation of tobacco control programs in local government bodies by the Local Government Department
  12. Government has included tobacco control in the 8th Five Year Plan.

In addition, some policies are in the process of being adopted. Such as, Tobacco Control Bangladesh Roadmap, National Tobacco Control Policy (NTCP), Tobacco Cultivation Policy etc.