DHAKA, May 30, 2022 (BSS) - World No Tobacco Day-2022 will be observed tomorrow in the country as elsewhere in the world highlighting the health and other risks associated with tobacco usage, and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.

 To mark the day, various anti-tobacco organizations have chalked out programmes.

 This year's theme for World No Tobacco Day in Bangladesh is 'Tobacco threat to our environment', an official handout said.

 President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the eve of the day.

 In his message the President said tobacco has massive harmful effects on environment.

Cigarette and biri smoking is one of reasons for indoor air pollution, he said, adding that tobacco consumption and smoking increase risk for cardiac arrest, stroke, cancer, diabetes, asthma and different non-communicable diseases.

Noting that smoking is called entrance of the drug abuse, the President said tobacco consumption and smoking push young people towards drug addiction and make them burdens of family and state.

Putting highest priority on public health, the government has formulated the 'Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Rule' in 2015 after amending the 'Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005', he said.

Abdul Hamid said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced that tobacco would be eliminated from Bangladesh by 2040.

In this regard, ensuring of proper implementation of tobacco control laws and regulations is very important, he mentioned.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said tobacco cultivation, processing and consumption are causing severe damages to environment.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), a fully grown-up tree is being cut off for preparing every 300 cigarettes, she said.

 Sheikh Hasina said on an average 2 lakh hectors of forest resources are being damaged every year due to tobacco cultivation and tobacco leaf processing.

An estimated 150 crore hectares of (mainly tropical) forests have been lost worldwide since the 1970s, contributing to up to 20% of annual greenhouse gas increases, she mentioned.

To address the tobacco epidemic, WHO adopted the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), she said.

In light with the FCTC, 'Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005' has been amended, the premier said.

The United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) incorporating the issues-effective implementation of FCTC and the non-communicable disease control-- by addressing tobacco as threat to development, she said.
 
She said the incumbent Awami League government included the matter of tobacco control in the 7th and 8th five-year plans to achieve SDGs.

She hoped her government will be able to make a tobacco-free Bangladesh with united efforts of all to build a Sonar Bangla as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The President and the Prime Minister wished an all-out success of all programmes of World No Tobacco Day 2022.