Issue needs interference of prime minister

Dear Sir
Recently, Industry Ministry has refused the proposal of banning tobacco products around the country during this pandemic, urged by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to help combat COVID-19. As the reason of arguing the request,  industry ministry stated that the country will lose huge revenues, people linked with tobacco industry and the grassroots level farmers will be unemployed and the foreign marketers will be reluctant while black marketers will be active and so the industry ministry is against banning tobacco products.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) tobacco products and smoking are accelerator for Covid-19, as it is a respiratory syndrome. And tobacco products damages whole respiratory system. WHO warned that the smokers are fourteen folds higher vulnerable to die of coronavirus. 35.3% people of over-15 are smokers and the death toll is 161000 by tobacco induced diseases yearly in the country in line with a survey. Notable that medical expenses of tobacco induced diseases is more than the revenues of this tobacco farming. Many countries has already banned tobacco products to fight against coronavirus. So, the decision of industry ministry might not result good rather deteriorate the pandemic situation.
Therefore, what's needed is the interference of prime minister to address the issue.

Samia Jahan
Rajbari Govt College