Tobacco industry's interference in policy-making must be reined in 

Tobacco industry interference remains the single biggest obstacle to effective tobacco-control efforts. In Bangladesh, as in many parts of the world, tobacco companies actively deploy a range of tactics to protect their commercial interests, influence policy-making, and obstruct the implementation of public-health measures. In fact, tobacco industry interference scores 69% in Bangladesh, the highest in the South Asia region. Research consistently shows that the industry engages in activities that directly undermine public health, distort decision-making processes, and target young people. Therefore, regulating industry behavior and bringing all forms of tobacco industry interference under strict legal oversight is now an urgent necessity.

A significant contributor to tobacco industry interference in Bangladesh is conflict of interest. The Government of Bangladesh holds approximately 9.21% shares in British American Tobacco (BAT) Bangladesh as of 31 October 2025, which compromises policymaking and enforcement of public health priorities. Legal loopholes further exacerbate the problem: "Designated Smoking Areas" are still permitted in public spaces, CSR activities continue, product displays remain unrestricted, and no regulations exist for emerging products such as nicotine pouches, e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products (HTPs) use. Tobacco farming receives indirect subsidies, including fertilizers intended for food crops, and is still listed as a cash crop under the Agriculture Marketing Act 2018. Export duties on tobacco leaves, previously set at 25%, have been withdrawn, and the government even allows companies like PMI to establish nicotine pouch factories. Meanwhile, the use of e-cigarettes and HTPs is alarmingly increasing among youth and adolescents. These practices highlight how the industry exploits regulatory gaps and public-sector support to maintain its influence.

Tobacco companies have long relied on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities to mask the harmful nature of their products. By donating to education, health, and environmental initiatives, they attempt to create a socially responsible image. However, these activities are widely recognized as strategic tools to expand influence rather than genuine concern for public welfare. At the same time, the industry aggressively markets new tobacco products aimed at youth, using attractive packaging, flavored products, low-cost single-stick cigarettes, covert digital advertising, and the promotion of emerging nicotine products. Public-health experts describe this as "social washing," and eliminating CSR is essential to countering tobacco industry interference. 

The tobacco industry also routinely attempts to interfere in policy-making through lobbying, business associations, and dissemination of misleading economic information. Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) specifically calls for governments to protect public health policies from such interference. Furthermore, tobacco cultivation and production contribute significantly to environmental damage, including deforestation, excessive pesticide use, soil depletion, and plastic pollution, yet companies often evade accountability. The industry frequently misrepresents its economic contributions, claiming to generate significant revenue for the government while ignoring the far higher costs of tobacco-related illnesses, environmental degradation, and productivity losses. These misleading narratives are a deliberate form of tobacco industry interference aimed at weakening regulation.

To effectively control tobacco industry interference and protect public health, Bangladesh must take immediate legislative and policy measures. The draft amendment to the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act should be finalized without delay, and cigarettes must be removed from the Essential Commodity Act 1956. Government shares in tobacco companies should be divested, and officials' involvement ended to prevent conflicts of interest. A simplified tobacco tax and price policy, aligned with WHO FCTC Article 6, should be implemented. Tobacco cultivation should be controlled, alternative crops promoted, and the Tobacco Cultivation Control Policy finalized and enforced. The establishment of new tobacco companies, industry investments, and tobacco factories in SEZs (Special Economic Zones) and EPZs (Export Processing Zones) must be restricted to protect public health. Export duties on tobacco leaves should be reintroduced, and tobacco removed from the list of cash crops under the Agriculture Marketing Act 2018.

Bangladesh cannot achieve a tobacco-free future without effectively controlling tobacco industry interference. Protecting public health now requires stringent restrictions on marketing practices, banning CSR activities, ensuring policymaking independence, enforcing environmental accountability, and regulating emerging nicotine products. Each delay in addressing industry interference increases health risks for current and future generations. Immediate legislative action is critical to break the grip of the tobacco industry and safeguard the nation's health.