Dhaka:The Bangladesh Tobacco Control Advocates (BTCA) has called on government institutions, as well as social, voluntary, and environmental organizations, to refuse any form of support from tobacco companies. This includes trees, financial assistance, gifts, and sponsorships.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the BTCA highlighted in a statement that Bangladesh's tobacco control law prohibits tobacco companies from engaging in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities or supporting such initiatives. They referenced the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Act, 2026, which bars the use of tobacco company names, signs, trademarks, or symbols in CSR activities.
The BTCA has reported that British American Tobacco (BAT) Bangladesh has been offering free trees to various social organizations. This is perceived as an attempt to leverage the government€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¾¢s initiative to plant 25 crore trees over five years and involve voluntary organizations, which the BTCA claims is being used to enhance the public image and acceptance of tobacco companies.
The organization stressed that public welfare activities, including environmental protection and climate action, should not serve to promote tobacco companies or bolster their brand image. They warned that government involvement in such activities could inadvertently increase social acceptance of tobacco firms.
They also emphasized the significance of the government's tree plantation program as a national effort to protect the environment, biodiversity, and climate. The BTCA warned that if tobacco companies participate in or support this program, it might be exploited for promotional purposes, urging adherence to Article 5.3 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
Finally, the BTCA urged officials and institutions to protect public health policies by rejecting any form of support from tobacco companies and called on various organizations to be vigilant against accepting such so-called CSR efforts. The statement was endorsed by several signatories, including Iqbal Masud, Syed Mahbubul Alam, and Sushanta Sinha.