Staff Reporter, Dhaka : Senior Secretary of Commerce Ministry, Tapan Kanti Ghosh said that the importation, marketing and sale of e-cigarettes should be banned to protect future generations from consuming tobacco and e-cigarettes.

He said these in the discussion meeting titled “Role of the Ministry of Commerce in Making Tobacco Free Bangladesh announced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister” organized by Dhaka Ahsania Mission and the Ministry of Commerce in the conference room of the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday morning, 01 December 2022.

Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, also said, “The Ministry of Commerce has already formed a committee to exclude cigarettes from the ‘list of essential commodity’ to make Bangladesh tobacco-free as announced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister.” Hope it will be done. On the other hand, the revised draft of the Tobacco Control Act made by the Ministry of Health has been appropriate and up-to-date. I will play a positive role in favor of this law in the relevant forum. If all government ministries and various social organizations work together, it is possible to create a tobacco-free Bangladesh before 2040.

Kazi Zebunessa Begum, Additional Secretary (World Health) of the Health Services Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was present as the special guest on the occasion. Mentioning that women and children are indirectly victims of smoking in public places, she said, “Tobacco companies are honored as the highest revenue earners, which is very sad.”

Hossain Ali Khondkar, Coordinator of National Tobacco Control Cell of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Additional Secretary of Health Services Division, Md. Shafiqul Islam, Head of Bangladesh Program of Vital Strategies were present as the discussants in the discussion meeting.

They said that if the proposed draft tobacco control law is not quickly passed and implemented, the next generation will become more addicted, which will bring serious danger to the country and the nation.

Ms. Maleka Khayrunnessa, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce chaired the meeting. Iqbal Masud, Director of Health and WASH Sector of Dhaka Ahsania Mission gave the welcome speech and Md. Mukhlesur Rahman, Deputy Director of Ahsania Mission presented the keynote paper in the event.#