Bangladesh tobacco control advocates urge prompt rules for amended law

Advocates in Bangladesh are calling for rules to be formulated without delay to implement the amended tobacco control law. At a discussion in Dhaka, speakers said the rules should address gaps in the law and help ensure its provisions are put into practice.

Members of the Women’s Forums Against Tobacco made the call at a meeting titled “Tobacco Control Amended Act 2026: Expectations and Achievements,” organized by Nari Maitree at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Sunday, September 27. Speakers thanked the government for passing the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005 (Amended 2026), during Parliament’s first session.

Advocates point to gaps and implementation priorities

The meeting highlighted the scale of tobacco use in Bangladesh. The article reports that prevalence is 35.3% in Bangladesh, compared with 28.6% in India and 19.1% in Pakistan. It also cites the 2017 Global Adult Tobacco Survey, which estimated that approximately 37.8 million adults in Bangladesh used tobacco.

Citing the Tobacco Atlas 2025, the article reports that tobacco-related diseases cause around 200,000 deaths each year in Bangladesh, with several hundred thousand more people experiencing disabilities. Research by the Institute of Health Economics at the University of Dhaka put tobacco-generated government revenue at approximately Tk41,000 crore in FY25, while the annual economic cost of tobacco use—including deaths, other health-related losses and environmental damage—was approximately Tk87,000 crore.

The amended law was passed on April 10, 2026. Speakers described its passage as an important step, while emphasizing that rules are needed to implement it.

Newaz Halima Arly, MP, said a committee of stakeholders had been formed to help develop the rules and urged the relevant authorities to prioritize the work.

Farida Yasmin, MP, said the law did not yet reflect all key provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which Bangladesh signed in 2003. She called for the rules to take account of the treaty’s obligations and implementation guidelines, including on protecting public health policy from tobacco-industry influence, regulating product contents and emissions, raising public awareness and supporting tobacco cessation.

Helen Zerin Khan, MP, identified the regulation of newer nicotine and tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, as well as the sale of single cigarette sticks and loose tobacco, as issues requiring attention. She said these matters should be considered when the rules are prepared.

Salina Sultana, MP, said the rules should include clear provisions around designated smoking areas in public places and public transport, which the amended law permits under certain conditions. She warned that the provision should not be open to exploitation by tobacco companies.

The meeting was chaired by Shahin Akter Dolly, executive director of Nari Maitree. Members of the Mothers’ Forum Against Tobacco, Teachers’ Forum Against Tobacco, Women Journalists’ Forum Against Tobacco and Youth Forum Against Tobacco also attended. Participants unanimously called for rules to be formulated promptly to support implementation of the amended law and strengthen tobacco control in Bangladesh.