‘Journos can motivate policymakers to turn country tobacco free’

Experts at a workshop called on journalists to play their due role to make Bangladesh a tobacco-free country through highlighting the importance of the issue.
      
Use of tobacco products among people is increasing in the country. Both the print and electronic media have scope to reach people across the country and they can also motivate the policymakers, they said.
 
Bangladesh Blind Mission (BBM), a NGO working on health, education and disability issues, organized the event at Meghna Hall of BIAM Foundation at New Eskaton in the capital on Thursday, a press release of Bangladesh Blind Mission on Thursday said.

The event was arranged as part of involving the journalists in anti-tobacco campaign, aimed at making the country tobacco free by 2040.

Joel Ahmed, President of BBM, was in the chair, while Umme Kausar Sumona and Faria Sultana of BBM jointly moderated it.

Prof Dr AHM Mustafizur Rahman, former Vice Chancellor of Jatiyo Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Mymensingh, attended as chief guest, while Brig Gen (retd) Khondoker Mohammad Mozammel Haque, adviser of BBM, attended as special guest.

Among others, Mohammad Shamsal Islam, epidemiologist of Ispahani Eye Institute and Hospital, presented keynote paper, while Nayla Pervin Peya, Executive Producer of Independent Television, presented another keynote paper on the issue.

They can raise awareness about the negative effect of tobacco products. In this way, they can take part in anti-tobacco campaign, advising people to quit smoking, they said.     
 
The use of tobacco products creates a great risk to health, public economy and environment.

By motivating the policymakers and raising awareness among people about the negative effects of tobacco products, journalists can play an important role in checking its use in the country, they observed.     
Reminding the journalists of their obligation to society, the speakers said, they should present anti-tobacco messages regularly by highlighting the benefits of quitting tobacco products.  
 
They came up with the remarks while addressing 'a consultation workshop with journalists on the present situation of tobacco cessation in Bangladesh: Challenges and the way forward.'

Highlighting the importance of a tobacco-free country, they sought the whole-hearted support from the mass media, saying said that we cannot achieve national progress as tobacco is the big obstacle to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

About 27 journalists in Dhaka took part in the workshop.