Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a healthy and tobacco-free Bangladesh.
“The initiative will be realised through the collective participation of the people alongside coordinated government efforts," the Prime Minister said in a message issued on Saturday on the occasion of 'World No Tobacco Day 2026'.
In the message, he said "The 'World No Tobacco Day 2026' is being observed in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world… I think this year's theme- “Unmasking the appeal – countering nicotine and tobacco addiction” is time-befitting."
He said the nicotine found in tobacco causes severe addiction while the use of any tobacco and nicotine products including bidis, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, jorda and gul, is one of the main causes of non-communicable diseases, including heart disease, stroke, various types of cancer and chronic lung diseases.
Mentioning data from the World Health Organization, he said about 71 percent of the total deaths in Bangladesh occurred due to non-communicable diseases. The main risk factor for the disease is tobacco and nicotine use.
According to the Tobacco Atlas 2025, Prime Minister said more than 199,000 people die every year in Bangladesh from tobacco-related diseases.
Citing a study carried out by the Institute of Health Economics, University of Dhaka, Tarique Rahmansaid the annual loss to the country's economy, including health costs, environmental damage and reduced productivity, due to tobacco use is more than Tk 87,000 crore.
He said his government is committed to protecting the future generations, including children and adolescents, from the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine.
To protect public health, he said, Bangladesh signed the FCTC in 2003, ratified it in 2004 and enacted the Tobacco Control Act in 2005. In continuation of this, amendments have been made to further strengthen the Tobacco Control Act.
The Prime Minister said all types of advertisement, publicity and promotion of tobacco products have been banned to prevent children and adolescents from the temptation of tobacco use.
In this context, he said tobacco advertising is prohibited in all media, including print and electronic media, internet, social media, apps, OTT platforms, dramas and movies.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said that advertising by tobacco companies under the guise of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been banned.
He added that the sale of tobacco products is prohibited within 100 metres of educational institutions, hospitals, clinics, sports venues and children’s parks.
He further said that the sale of tobacco and nicotine products to people under the age of 18 is strictly prohibited, while the use of both smoking and smokeless tobacco in public places and public transport has also been banned.
The Prime Minister said penalties and fines for violations of various provisions of the law have been increased. He stressed that effective enforcement of the new regulations, along with raising public awareness, is essential to control tobacco use.
He also extended his best wishes for the success of programmes marking "World No Tobacco Day 2026."
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
