Health and Family Welfare Adviser Nurjahan Begum today spoke at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital. Photo: PID

DHAKA, May 31, 2025 (BSS) - Health and Family Welfare Adviser Nurjahan Begum has underscored the importance of creating a tobacco-free Bangladesh to prevent diseases, highlighting that the government’s healthcare expenditure for treating tobacco-related illnesses is far more than the revenue generated from tobacco companies.

“If we eliminate tobacco use and tobacco products, we can significantly reduce the cost of treating diseases like cancer and other tobacco-induced illnesses. To focus on disease prevention, we must build a tobacco-free Bangladesh,” she said.

She made the remarks while addressing a discussion at Osmani Memorial Auditorium here today marking World No Tobacco Day 2025.

The health adviser further said, “Despite signing the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the government representatives are holding positions in the tobacco company boards, facilitating their business growth. This contradiction is unacceptable.”

“We must speak out clearly. If we remain silent now, it will never be possible,” she added.

Highlighting the exploitation of workers by tobacco companies, she said the companies exploit our laborers and contaminating our land, air, and environment. We cannot accept this under any circumstances.

Calling for raising voice together against tobacco, Nurjahan stressed the amendment of the Tobacco Control Act for its effective enforcement, saying work is going on for the amendment.

She added “Tobacco companies are targeting our youths and teenagers in various ways to attract them to their products... we must confront these challenges together.”

The health adviser urged everyone, from government and private sectors to individuals to step forward and help protect the country from the dangers of tobacco.

Speaking at the event Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter said although e-cigarette imports are banned, tobacco companies are attempting to produce them locally and workers in these factories are also being exploited. 

“They try to make it appear as if the government runs on the income from tobacco industries, which is completely false. Our government runs on public money,” she added.

She said tobacco is often grown on fertile lands near rivers, which is damaging forests, reducing fish reproduction, and harming cattle farming. 

The health of children, teenagers, and women is also adversely affected by tobacco, she said, adding, “I hope our youth will stand up against this destruction.” 

Professor Dr. Md. Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, noted that smoking is the gateway to all addictions, saying “Tobacco companies conduct research to grow their market, but we are not doing enough to protect our children.”

He emphasized that the Ministry of Education should play a major role in the anti-tobacco campaign, adding “Children should be taught from the age of 8–10 about the harmful effects of smoking.”

Dr. Rahman also warned that tobacco companies are slowly gaining influence over the state, and strong measures are needed to resist this trend.

With Health Secretary Md. Saidur Rahman in the chair, Railways Secretary Fahimul Islam, and DG of Directorate General of Health Services Professor Dr. Abu Jafar also spoke.

At the end of the event, individuals and organizations were awarded the National Tobacco Control Award 2025 in various categories for their contribution to tobacco control in Bangladesh.