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In the Environmental Protection Rules, tobacco-related industrial establishments have been classified in the comparatively less harmful orange category instead of the red category. This will create confusion about the harm of tobacco and companies will have the opportunity to take more business benefits. Considering the harmful effects of tobacco on public health and the environment, it is necessary to amend the Environmental Protection Rules 2023 again and re-list tobacco manufacturing establishments in the red category.
Speakers made this demand at a meeting held at the Akram Khan Hall of the National Press Club at 11:00 am on May 30 (Thursday) 2024, under the joint initiative of the Poribesh Bachao Andolan (POBA), Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA), Anti-Tobacco Women’s Alliance (TABINAJ), and Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust, focusing on World No Tobacco Day.
The discussion titled “Tobacco Factories: Limitations and Dossiers of Environmental Law Enforcement” was chaired by Poribesh Bachao Andolan (PBA) Executive President and eminent public health expert Dr. Lenin Chowdhury. The keynote address was read by Syeda Ananya Rahman, Head of Program, WBB Trust, moderated by MA Wahed Russell, Co-General Secretary of Poribesh Bachao Andolan (PBA). Farida Akhtar, Convener of the Anti-Tobacco Women’s Alliance, Helal Ahmed, Acting Coordinator of the Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance, and Hamidul Islam, Secretariat Manager of the Bangladesh Network for Tobacco Tax Policy (BNTTP) were present as honorable discussants in the meeting.
The keynote address states that the removal of tobacco companies from the red category to the orange category in the Environmental Protection Rules 2023 is questioning the government’s strong commitment to tobacco control and various positive steps. A tobacco company polluting the environment in the heart of the city has been polluting the air for a long time. In different countries of the world, tobacco companies have been removed from the center of the city. A health-friendly environment is being created in the factory sites. At a time when the government needs to take strict steps in this regard to reduce tobacco use by 2040, there is no logical reason behind giving such a concession to the tobacco company. Considering that it is harmful to health, environment and economy, it is necessary to bring tobacco back to the ‘red’ category list.
Dr. Lenin Chowdhury said that in addition to bringing tobacco factories from red to orange category, it is necessary to bring those responsible under accountability and ban tobacco cultivation on cropland. He demanded that violators of the Tobacco Control Act be brought under strict punishment and stressed the importance of formulating the necessary roadmap to make Bangladesh tobacco-free by 2040.
Farida Akhtar said that tobacco companies are targeting children and youth to create consumers in the long term. The concerned authorities are providing opportunities to entrepreneurs on easy terms to set up factories to manufacture all smokeless tobacco products including jorda gul. She also said that the presence of high-ranking government officials on the board of directors of tobacco companies is questioning the government’s tobacco control program. The government needs to pay attention to all these aspects.
Helal Ahmed said that tobacco cultivation is a threat to food security. It is necessary to impose environmental tax on tobacco cultivation lands. He praised the government’s proactive role in tobacco control in the past and requested it to take effective steps in this regard quickly. Above all, he demanded that the government strengthen the Tobacco Control Act by amending it quickly.
Hamidul Islam Hillol said that a welfare state works for the well-being of the people. But the government is walking in the opposite direction of the Prime Minister’s dream of building a smart Bangladesh. Every year, about 161,000 people die from tobacco-related diseases, which is about 13 times the number of deaths from Covid. It is a matter of concern why the government brought this ministry from red to orange category instead of implementing the political conviction of the Honorable Prime Minister. He expressed hope that the current Minister in the Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change will take necessary initiatives to bring tobacco manufacturing factories back to the red list.