Bangladesh’s interim government halted tobacco cultivation in the Halda River basin in Manikchhari upazila, Khagrachhari district, in a move aimed at protecting the river’s biodiversity and fisheries resources. The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock said coordinated efforts by local authorities and the Department of Fisheries ensured no tobacco was planted this year, following a notification last year banning cultivation in the basin due to concerns over pesticide use and water pollution. Authorities are now promoting alternative crops such as mustard, maize, and vegetables to support farmers while safeguarding the Halda River, which is Bangladesh’s only natural carp breeding ground and a designated fisheries heritage site.
Tag: Bangladesh
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Bangladesh Bans Tobacco Sales Near Health Facilities
Bangladesh’s Health Ministry directed field-level health authorities to enforce a ban on the sale of tobacco products within 100 meters of hospitals, clinics, and other health facilities, and to ensure these areas remain tobacco-free under recently tightened anti-tobacco laws. The directive follows amendments to the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act that expanded the definition of tobacco products and increased penalties, raising fines for smoking or tobacco use in designated public places to Tk 2,000 ($16.40), while also requiring health facilities to display no-smoking signage.
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Bangladesh’s Next Govt. Urged to Uphold Tough Tobacco Laws
Bangladesh’s interim government has called on the next parliament to endorse the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, after senior advisers accused tobacco companies of mounting heavy pressure to block stricter regulations. Speaking at a Dhaka meeting Monday (January 26), Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum and Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter said the ordinance—approved by the advisory council in December—expands the definition of tobacco products and tightens controls on emerging items, despite industry lobbying and revenue concerns. The advisers alleged coordinated efforts by tobacco firms to delay or dilute the measures, criticized government shareholdings in tobacco companies, and opposed plans by Philip Morris Bangladesh to set up a nicotine pouch factory without environmental clearance. Officials cited stark public health costs, noting Bangladesh records an estimated 564 tobacco-related deaths daily and annual economic losses of Tk 87,000 crore ($713 million) versus Tk 40,000 crore ($348 million) in tobacco revenue.
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Free Cigarettes at Bangladesh Concert Draw Criticism
The distribution of free cigarettes at a concert at Bangladesh’s Dhaka University on Saturday night triggered widespread criticism from students and public health advocates, as the Abul Khair Tobacco Company reportedly set up a stall at the venue to hand out complimentary cigarettes. If true, the incident would violate the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, which prohibits the free distribution of tobacco products and the sponsorship of events by tobacco companies. (It is also illegal to sell tobacco products within 100 meters of educational institutions.) Breaches of the law carry penalties of up to three months’ imprisonment, fines of up to Tk100,000 ($820), or both. Separately, the government recently raised fines for smoking in public from Tk300 ($2.46) to Tk2,000 ($16.40).
The concert was jointly organized by the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and Spirits of July, a student-led nonprofit organization. DUCSU literature and culture secretary Musaddik Ali Ibne Mohammad said he was only aware of a designated “smoking zone” and was unaware of any free cigarette distribution. Neither Spirits of July representatives nor university officials have been available for comment.
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Bangladesh Bans Vapes, Tightens Tobacco Laws
Bangladesh’s interim government issued an ordinance banning e-cigarettes and other emerging tobacco products, significantly tightening the country’s tobacco control regime. The Smoking and Tobacco Products Use (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, promulgated on December 31, expands the definition of tobacco to include electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, bringing them under a single legal framework. Smoking and the use of all tobacco products are now prohibited in all public places and on public transport, with fines raised to a maximum of Tk 2,000 ($16.40).
The ordinance makes the production, import, export, storage, sale, and use of e-cigarettes and similar products criminal offences, punishable by up to six months’ imprisonment, fines of up to Tk 500,000 ($4,100), or both. It also introduces a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship across all media, prohibits tobacco displays at points of sale, and bans sales within 100 meters of schools, hospitals and playgrounds. Packaging rules have been tightened to require health warnings covering at least 75% of packs, while enforcement powers have been strengthened to allow license cancellations, seizures, and criminal prosecutions.
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Bangladesh Approves Strict New Tobacco-Control Measures
Bangladesh’s Council of Advisers approved the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 on December 24, paving the way for stricter tobacco control measures. The ordinance proposes a ban on the use, production, and marketing of emerging tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and “similar items,” while expanding the definition of tobacco products to include nicotine pouches.
The amended law also prohibits the use of all tobacco products in public places and public transport, with designated smoking areas subject to government directives. Advertising, promotion, and display of tobacco products—including online marketing—would be fully banned, and enforcement powers strengthened through expanded definitions of public places and transport.
In addition, the ordinance increases mandatory health warnings on tobacco packaging from 50% to 75% of the pack surface. The government said the measures are aimed at significantly reducing tobacco use and strengthening public health protection nationwide.
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Bangladesh Labels Cig Filters as Single-Use Plastic
Bangladesh has become the first country in Asia to classify cigarette filters as single-use plastic (SUP), aligning the move with Article 18 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which focuses on environmental protection in tobacco production. The announcement was highlighted at a webinar yesterday (December 14), organized by PROGGA and the Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA).
The development follows Bangladesh’s participation at COP-11 in Geneva, where the government presented its tobacco control achievements and reaffirmed its commitment to amend national tobacco laws and strengthen anti-tobacco measures.
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Tobacco Industry Alarmed at Bangladesh’s Policy-Making Exclusion
Bangladesh’s three largest tobacco companies—British American Tobacco, Philip Morris, and JT International—issued a rare joint statement criticizing the government’s move to advance amendments to the Tobacco Control Act without broad stakeholder consultation. The companies said several provisions in the draft ordinance are not evidence-based and would create “far-reaching, negative consequences” for the economy, tax revenue, foreign investment and millions of people connected to the industry.
The firms argued that proposed ingredient bans would threaten cigarette production entirely, while new retail licensing requirements could disrupt sales for 1.5 million small retailers and impact the livelihoods of 150,000 tobacco farmers. They also warned that prohibiting smokeless nicotine and tobacco products would remove alternatives for adult consumers and likely expand an already growing illicit market, citing experiences in India and Australia.
Industry leaders urged the government to re-engage manufacturers, farmers, retailers, and other affected groups, noting that previous reforms in 2005 succeeded because of inclusive dialogue. With tobacco tax revenue growth slowing and the sector supporting an estimated 4.4 million livelihoods, the companies called for a “balanced and comprehensive solution” to avoid unintended economic and public-health setbacks.
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Tobacco Industry Alarmed at Bangladesh’s Policy-Making Exclusion
In a unified statement, the industry leaders, British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB), Philip Morris Bangladesh, and JT International Bangladesh, said:
“While we fully support the Government’s commitment to public health, we believe that the certain measures proposed in the draft ordinance are not evidence-based, and will jeopardize the local livelihoods, further fuel an already growing illicit tobacco market, result in government tax revenue leak, and discourage further foreign investment – ultimately severely impacting an already declining industry.“Amongst multiple detrimental clauses, the draft includes an ingredient ban, which poses direct threat to the current cigarette operations in the country entirely. The ingredients included in the proposal for ban are essential for processing, manufacturing, and preservation, and are critical to ensure product integrity. In addition, other business-critical clauses, such as mandating retailers license to sell cigarettes, will impact the current 1.5 million retailers and disrupt the legal sales of tobacco products to the retailers and the operations of associated 150,000 tobacco farmers, until the licenses are made available to all the impacted parties and this requires a fair and transparent process with proper consultation.
“Furthermore, the proposed prohibition of smokeless nicotine and tobacco products will take away legitimate choices for adult nicotine consumers, who are looking for reduced risk profile alternatives compared to combustible cigarettes, to transition from combustible tobacco. A de-facto ban on these important product categories will further boost an existing illicit market with compromised quality products, as seen in other countries such as India and Australia. The illicit products will not be controlled by any standards to ensure product quality, further increasing the risk for consumer access to these products.”
“Enacting the proposed Bill without a holistic stakeholder-inclusive consultation poses significant risks to Bangladesh’s economy and public health objectives. We urge the Government to consider the views of manufacturers, impacted farmers, marginalized retailers, hawkers, printers, and others in the value chain, to avoid the negative, unintended consequences caused by these proposed amendments. We are fully committed to collaborating with the Government, alongside other stakeholders, to find a balanced and comprehensive solution.”
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Bangladesh Schools Surrounded by Tobacco Outlets
A new study by the Power and Participation Research Centre found that each school in Bangladesh is surrounded by an average of 5.5 tobacco-selling outlets within 100 meters, making cigarettes highly accessible to youth, according to New Age. The research, covering 121 schools in Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, and Khulna, identified 666 points of sale, with most selling single cigarette sticks.
The study showed that 71% of outlets openly displayed cigarettes, often positioned at children’s eye level, while 66% placed tobacco products alongside chocolates, toys, and sweets. It also found that 68% of retail points used visible advertising such as dummy packs and posters, and 84% sold flavored cigarettes.