Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has instructed all hospitals, medical and dental colleges, specialized hospitals, nursing colleges, and other healthcare institutions across the country to ensure 100 per cent tobacco and smoke-free environment for doctors, nurses, healthcare staff, patients, and visitors.
Prof Dr. Syed Zakir Hossain, Line Director of Non-Communicable Disease Control (NCDC) programme of DGHS, issued the notice recently, according to a press release of National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh issued on Thursday.
The National Heart Foundation has welcomed the DGHS directive to make all public and private hospitals and healthcare facilities 100 percent tobacco-free, calling it a 'significant step' for public health.
In the release, Heart Foundation President Prof Dr. Khandakar Abdul Awal Rizvi stated that following a letter from the Foundation on 23 July 2025, the directorate has instructed all hospitals, medical and dental colleges, specialized hospitals, nursing colleges, and other healthcare institutions across the country to implement full tobacco-free environments.
Prof Rizvi said, "Hospitals are meant to be places of healing. The presence of tobacco or smoking poses a serious threat to patients and attendants. Secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, respiratory problems, and other health complications. Implementation of this directive will ensure truly tobacco-free healthcare facilities."
To implement fully tobacco-free health facilities, the directive requires healthcare centers to install visible tobacco-free signage at entrances and key locations, not designate smoking areas (DSAs), and prohibit the sale of tobacco products within the facility and its premises. In addition, hospitals are tasked with advising and supporting staff, patients, and visitors to quit tobacco use.
According to WHO-SEARO (2018), 161,000 people die annually in Bangladesh due to tobacco use, with 21% of deaths caused by secondhand smoke. GATS (2017) reports 35.3% of people aged 15 and above use tobacco, and secondhand smoke exposure affects workplaces (42.7%), hospitality sectors (49.7%), vehicles (44%), and healthcare facilities (12.7%).
The National Heart Foundation hopes the initiative will transform healthcare facilities across Bangladesh into fully tobacco-free environments, marking a significant advancement in public health protection.
