The campaign also seeks to empower women to protect public health and mobilize them to demand amendments to existing to***co control laws and increases in taxes on to***co products. Bangladesh is one of the top to***co-consuming countries in South Asia and ranks among the top 10 countries globally. The statistics from the Global Adult To***co Survey 2017 reveal that approximately 35.3 percent of a
dults (15 years and above), which amounts to around 3.78 million individuals, use to***co in Bangladesh. Among them, 18 percent (1.92 crore) are smokers, while 21 percent (2.2 crore) use smokeless to***co products. Additionally, a significant number of people, around 3 crores 84 lakh, who do not smoke themselves, are exposed to second-hand smoke in various public places and public transportation. According to the To***co Atlas 2018, the use of to***co in Bangladesh leads to the premature death of more than 1 lakh 61 thousand individuals annually. Furthermore, both adults and adolescents in Bangladesh have a considerable prevalence of smoking or using to***co products. It is worth noting that 67 percent of total deaths in Bangladesh are attributed to infectious diseases, with to***co use being one of the primary causes of such diseases. Even among minors aged 13 to 15 years, 7 percent of teenagers use to***co, indicating a concerning trend of to***co use among the younger population as well. One of the concerning trends is the increasing use of smokeless to***co among women in Bangladesh, which leads to severe health complications such as mouth cancer, heart attacks, and strokes. Pregnant women also face increased risks, including abortions and maternal deaths. To address these challenges, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh has made a commitment to build a to***co-free country by 2040. The Ministry of Health and Family Planning, in alignment with the World Health Organization Framework Convention on To***co Control (FCTC), is taking steps to strengthen the existing Smoking and To***co Products Usage (Control) Act of 2005, as amended in 2013. A draft To***co Control Law Amendment Committee has been formed to propose further amendments, and the final draft is currently under review by the Cabinet. The proposed amendments to strengthen to***co control laws include-
• Abolishing designated smoking areas in all public spaces and public transport,
• Prohibiting the display of to***co products at sales points,
• Prohibition of single stick or retail sale of bidi-cigarettes and unwrapped;
• Banning to***co companies' corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities,
• banning the import, production, consumption, and marketing of e-cigarettes or emerging heated to***co products,
• and increasing the size of pictorial health warnings on bidi and cigarette packs from 50% to 90%. The page created by Nari Maitree, a non-governmental women development organization established in 1983, provides a platform for women to raise their voices against to***co consumption and advocate for the amendment of to***co control laws. The organization aims to build the capacity of women, adolescents, and children in both rural and urban areas to assert their rights within families and society. The "Raising Women Voices in Protecting Public Health" project by Nari Maitree includes a social media campaign for the Anti-To***co Women Voices initiative. The organization is fully committed to achieving the honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's vision of a to***co-free Bangladesh by 2040. Through collective efforts, the campaign and Nari Maitree strive to create a healthier and to***co-free nation that protects the well-being of communities, with a focus on safeguarding future generations.
