RANGPUR, June 7, 2023 (BSS) - Engaging inclusive efforts of all concerned in a well-coordinated manner has become crucial to stop violation of tobacco control laws for building a tobacco-free healthier society.
 
Public representatives and officials today expressed the view in a training program on tobacco control laws held at the upazila parishad auditorium in Pirgachha upazila of the district.
 
Pirgachha upazila administration with assistance of the National Tobacco Control Cell organised the event for members of the Upazila Tobacco Control Law Enforcement Task-force Committee and officials concerned of the upazila.
 
Pirgachha upazila parishad Chairman Abu Naser Shah Md. Mahbubar Rahman attended the program as the chief guest with Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Nazmul Haque Suman in the chair.
 
Upazila Vice-chairman Tanzina Afroz, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Bisweswar Chandra Barman, Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Habibur Rahman and union parishad Chairman Mostafizar Rahman Reza addressed.

Dr. Bisweswar said many people are dying from tobacco attributed diseases and many others becoming patients of lung cancer, cerebra-vascular, coronary artery, chronic obstructive pulmonary and other tobacco-attributable diseases across the country.
 
He discussed ruthless consequences of consumption of smoking and smokeless tobacco products citing that every sixth adult death is being caused by tobacco attributed diseases in the country.

The speakers said thousands of people are consuming tobacco products and being affected by smoking and indirect smoking to cause huge losses to the public health, economy and environment.
 
They called for ensuring strict enforcement of violations of the amended Tobacco Control Act (TCA), Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act and Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Rule by a section of tobacco companies.
 
The chief guest stressed on popularizing cultivation of substitute crops to tobacco to enhance food production and saving many lives on the way to attain the sustainable development goals by 2030 for building a developed Bangladesh by 2041 next.