Tobacco proves harmful to economy; Journalists' role sought for preventing use of tobacco products

Terming tobacco as harmful to the economy, speakers at an event called on journalists to play their due role in raising awareness among the people about the negative effects of tobacco products.

Tobacco is also hazardous to human health and environment. Hence, it is urgent to combat it for the sake of the country's economic development, and journalists can play a significant role in this regard, they said.

The observations were made at a training programme for journalists titled 'The negative effects of tobacco products and ways to combat it' at Cicily Chinese Restaurant in Natore district town recently, says a press release.
Bangladesh Blind Mission (BBM), a NGO working on health and disability issues, on Wednesday organized the event, aimed at raising awareness among people for preventing the use of tobacco products.

About 25 journalists in the district attended the event.

Khondker Abdeul Islam, admin and finance manager of BBM, gave the welcome address, while Tareque Mahmood, project officer of BBM, discussed about the main purpose of the programme.

Calling upon journalists to play their role in raising awareness on tobacco, Shuvashish Chandra Mohanto, a nationally renowned development consultant, said journalists should play an important role for the sake of our national interest, including achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It is possible to depict the overall situation, caused by the use of tobacco products, and also possible to aware people of the tobacco-related risks through the reports and writings of journalists, he said.

While inaugurating the programme, Farazi Ahmed Rafik, president of District Press Club, thanked the organizer for arranging such event, saying that event like this would motivate journalists to raise awareness on tobacco through their reports.

While participating at the event, journalists vowed to play their role for raising awareness among the people on the negative effects of tobacco products.

Nasiruddin Hirok, an official of BBM, moderated the event.