Staff Reporter : A landmark step in safeguarding the country’s public health, the recently approved Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 must get passed in the first parliamentary session following the upcoming election. The Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) made such demands today (Thursday, 29 January 2026) during a meeting held at the BMA Bhaban in the Capital. The organization also urged all concerned stakeholders to remain vigilant against concerted disinformation campaigns conducted by the tobacco industry intended to undermine and obstruct the legislative process.
It was informed during the meeting that the tobacco control ordinance, once enacted into law in the parliament, will prevent the new generation from initiating the use of emerging nicotine products and discourage the use of other traditional tobacco products. The Ordinance will also safeguard women, children, and non-smokers from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke exposure. Overall, tobacco-related deaths and losses in the country will be reduced. A significant advancement in the promotion of public health, the newly approved ordinance can yield lasting benefits only through its transformation into a law. It should be noted that the ordinance, if not passed within 30 days of its presentation at the first session of the forthcoming National Parliament, will be deemed null and void.
Speakers also said that due to unprecedented level of interference from the tobacco industry, some of the most critical proposed provisions, including banning the sale of loose tobacco products, banning mobile sale of tobacco products, introducing mandatory retailer licensing system to sale tobacco products, and ensuring a complete ban on corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs of tobacco companies; has been excluded from the finalized ordinance. Future policymakers must remain alert against such aggression of the tobacco industry.
It was also informed that the prevalence of tobacco use among adults (15 y/o and above) stands at 35.3 percent. Tobacco, the fourth major risk factors behind premature deaths and disabilities in Bangladesh, claims nearly 200,000 lives each year in the country. The toll on public health and environment inflicted by tobacco use and production causes the national economy a loss of BDT 87,000 crore which is more than twice the size of revenue generated from the tobacco sector. This shows how the passage and proper implementation of the ordinance will benefit both the government and the public.
During the meeting, attended by 56 members of the organization, Mr. Mizan Chowdhury, Co-convenor of ATMA and Mr. Hasan Shahriar, Head of Programs, PROGGA, presented ongoing activities of ATMA and its way forward. Speakers at the special discussion session include Mir Masrur Zaman Rony, Chief News Editor of Channel I, Mortuza Haider Liton, Convenor of ATMA; Nadira Kiron, co-convenor of ATMA, and ABM Zubair, Executive Director, PROGGA.