Public health experts and government officials have called for the passage of the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 in the upcoming 13th National Parliament, stressing its critical role in reducing tobacco-related diseases and deaths in Bangladesh.
The demand was made during a roundtable discussion titled “Impact of the Smoking and Tobacco Products (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 and the Way Forward”, held Wednesday morning at the CIRDAP Auditorium and organised by DORP.
Dr Hafiz Ahmed Chowdhury, Secretary of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and the event’s chief guest, highlighted that the harm caused by tobacco extends beyond individual health, affecting families, society, and the national economy.
Citing The Tobacco Atlas 2025, he noted that nearly 2,00,000 people die prematurely each year in Bangladesh due to tobacco-related diseases. While the government has promulgated the amended ordinance in the interest of public health, he emphasised that its sustainability depends on parliamentary approval.
Speaking as a special guest, Sheikh Momena Moni, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Health, highlighted the economic burden of tobacco, referencing a 2024 study that estimated the total cost of tobacco use and production at Tk 87,000 crore, with environmental damage accounting for 16% of the total.
In comparison, government revenue from tobacco products in the same year was only around BDT 40,000 crore—less than half the estimated societal cost. She stressed that effective implementation of the ordinance is essential to reduce long-term public health expenditures.
Public health experts attending the discussion expressed optimism about the ordinance’s passage, noting that tobacco is a major cause of heart attacks and other fatal cardiovascular diseases.
They urged the government to strengthen tobacco control through legislation to protect future generations from severe health risks.
Speakers also emphasised the role of civil society organisations in advocating for the ordinance and called on the Ministry of Law to ensure it is placed before Parliament as a bill. They further urged political parties to prioritise tobacco control in their election manifestos and campaign messaging.
Among those present were Professor Dr. Parimal Chandra Mallik, President of the Bangladesh Dental Society; Dr. Sakhawat Hossain Sayantha, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry at Bangladesh Medical University; Md. Suratuzzaman, Director of the Bangladesh Retired Government Employees Welfare Association; Wahida Yasmin, Adviser to Lighthouse Organization; former Secretary Munshi Alauddin Al Azad; Md. Tasnim Laskar of the Bangladesh Development Party; Mohammad Nurul Amin, Chairperson of DORP; AHM Noman, Chief Executive; and Mohammad Zobair Hasan, Deputy Executive Director, among others.
