All tobacco product should be incorporated in law - The Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco AllianceThe Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance

All tobacco product should be incorporated in law

Sadapata, zarda and gul should be incorporated in law to save women experts in a seminar of National Girls Child Advocacy Forum and WBB Trust Though use of chewable tobacco like Sadapata, zarda and gul is rampant in country, these are not defined in the law. As a result, controlling use of these tobacco products is not possible through the existing law. Tobacco use is increasing rapidly because of tobacco company’s advertisements and socialization of tobacco use. Besides, women are being affected by Passive Smoking in workplaces, private institutions, public places and public transports. In order to save women and children law development and high taxation on all tobacco products including chewable tobacco products.

26 January 2011 Leaders of many socio-cultural organizations including Women Rights Movement and Health Movement stressed the issues at a seminar on “Necessity of Law Development for saving women and children form tobacco impacts” jointly organized by National Girls Child Advocacy Forum and WBB Trust with Dr. Badiul Alam Mojumdar, Global Vice-President of The Hunger Project and President of National Girls Child Advocacy Forum while Meher Afroz Chumki, President of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Women and Children Affairs was present as chief guest in the meeting.

Nasima Akter Jolly, in her note said that according to (Global Adult Tobacco Survey), 28% women consume tobacco. Tobacco Consumption increases lung cancer and uterus cancer are increasing among women. It also increases the possibility of still birth, disability and low weight baby birth. 30% women at workplaces and 21% at public places are affected by passive smoking.

Meher Afroz Chumki MP said that a healthy woman means a healthy mother. Healthy mother means healthy children and healthy children mean healthy future generation. As tobacco leads women to sickness and death, such types of tobacco should be incorporated into the law and should be controlled. In addition, women and children are being affected by passive smoking at public places, public transports and workplaces. “ I will request Health Minister, Law Minister and Honorable Prime Minister to toughen this law.

Farida Akter said that Women and children are facing severe health problems for being involved in tobacco farming. Women and children organized the harvested tobacco leaves in the chimneys for curing. They have to stay beside the chimneys for 60-72 hours. For this they are being attacked by various diseases. So, initiatives should be undertaken to control tobacco farming.
Mazeda Sawkat said that initiatives should be taken to control use of tobacco products and bidi-cigarettes in elections.

Rokeya Prachy said that unnecessary smoking scenes in plays and cinemas should be banned and proper guidelines should be incorporated in the law. Professor Latifa Akand said that malnutrition of women and children can be removed by the money spent for tobacco consumption.

Dr. Meher-E-Khuda, Rawshan Ara Begum, Former Director General, Department of Women Affairs, Firoja Begum, Executive Director of Bachte Sekho Nari, Sagufta Sultana, program coordinator of NATAB, Seema Das Sheemu, researcher of UBINIG, Habibur Rahmam, Program Director of Manab Unnayan Sangstha (MUS). Network organizations of The Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) including ACD, ACLAB, AID, YPSA, NATAB, Hunger Project Bangladesh, and SARDA participated in the program.