Dhaka: Advocate Zainul Abedin, Member of Parliament from Barishal-3 and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee, announced on Monday his optimism that the Tobacco Control Ordinance 2025 will be enacted into law during the first session of Parliament. This move aims to protect public health, focusing on women, children, and youth.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Zainul Abedin made this statement as the chief guest at a discussion meeting organized by Nari Maitree at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The event, titled ‘The Importance and Necessity of Strengthening Tobacco Control Law to Protect Public Health from the Harmful Effects of Tobacco’, highlighted the urgency of transforming the ordinance into law to safeguard public health.
Zainul Abedin emphasized that human life holds greater value than revenue. With this principle in mind, the Tobacco Control Ordinance has undergone comprehensive review by the committee, with plans to comply with parliamentary obligations and enact it into law promptly.
Bangladesh became a signatory to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in 2003, and enacted the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act in 2005. To align with evolving needs and WHO FCTC guidelines, the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 has been proposed. Key amendments include banning smoking and tobacco use in public areas and transport, prohibiting tobacco product displays at sales points, banning all forms of tobacco advertising and sponsorship, restricting sales near educational and health institutions, and increasing health warning sizes on packaging.
Once enacted, the law is expected to reduce premature deaths and healthcare expenses, while discouraging tobacco use among young people. Event speakers urged the government to fulfill its election manifesto pledge to combat non-communicable diseases linked to tobacco use by passing the ordinance into law.
Tasfia Nowrin from the Anti-Tobacco Youth Forum highlighted the necessity of enacting the ordinance to counter tobacco companies’ focus on young people. Shaheen Akhter Dolly, Executive Director of Nari Maitree, pointed out the broad impacts of tobacco, emphasizing its negative effects on families, society, and the economy, citing the Tobacco Atlas 2025’s statistics on tobacco-related female deaths in Bangladesh.
The event saw participation from anti-tobacco forums and civil society representatives, all advocating for the ordinance’s enactment into law.