Ahsania Mission Youth Forum organized anti-tobacco seminar at Dhaka University auditorium on Thursday. Photo: Ahsania Mission

DHAKA, April 26, 2025 (BSS) - Speakers at a seminar here called for amending tobacco control law to build a Tobacco-free healthy nation.

The call came at the youth seminar titled "Role of Youth in Strengthening Tobacco Control Laws and Building a Tobacco-Free Nation" at Dr. Sirajul Islam Lecture Hall of Dhaka University on Thursday.

The event was organized by the Ahsania Mission Youth Forum for Health and Wellbeing with participation from students of various universities and colleges across the country, a press release said. 

The primary objective of the seminar was to raise a strong demand for the prompt and effective amendment of Bangladesh's tobacco control law and involving the young generation in this advocacy movement.
 
The event was graced by Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan, Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, as the chief guest as Sheikh Momena Moni, Additional Secretary (World Health Division) at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was present as the special guest.

Dr Khan expressed full agreement with the Youth Forum's demand for strengthening the Tobacco Control Law.
 
Sheikh Moni said the government has already taken initiatives to amend the tobacco control law and is working its final level work in this regard.
 
Associate Professor of Sociology and Assistant Proctor of Dhaka University, Mohammad Mahbub Quaisar; Deputy Attorney General and General Secretary of the Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Association, Md. Mahfuzur Rahman Milon, eminent public health experts, academics, and leaders of anti-tobacco movements were also present. 

They all unanimously agreed that amending the tobacco control law is essential for protecting public health in Bangladesh.
 
The seminar was presided over by Marjana Muntahar, Coordinator of Ahsania Mission Youth Forum for Health and Wellbeing. 

The keynote presentation was delivered by Abdullah Al Mamun, Executive Council Member of the National Youth Development Institute. Youth speakers included Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Sakib, President of the Bangladesh Medical Students' Society, and youth influencer Shamim Hossain. 

The welcome speech was delivered by Md. Tasnim Hasan Abir, a member of the Ahsania Mission Youth Forum.
 
During the seminar, the young speakers said that the current tobacco control law is outdated and ineffective in preventing the spread of tobacco products in today's context.

They highlighted that approximately 161,000 people die annually in Bangladesh from tobacco-related diseases, which poses a severe threat to the nation.

The youths called for immediate amendment and enactment of the tobacco control law.

They also demanded complete ban on the display and advertisement of all types of tobacco products at POSs, prohibition of the use of new products like vapes/e-cigarettes, elimination of designated smoking zones in public places, ban on the retail sale of single-stick bidis and cigarettes, prohibition of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities by tobacco companies, and increasing the graphic health warning on tobacco packaging to 90 pc.
 
Before the seminar, participants conducted a youth march and a signature campaign in support of the TC law amendment, which will be submitted to the government as a call for immediate reform of the tobacco control law.