<div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The tobacco control activities will be strengthened in Gazipur city corporation area considering its adverse impacts on public health, said an official of the corporation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We’re working to control tobacco products through mobile court operations in Gazipur City Corporation. The process of building a tobacco-free city will get momentum from now," said Namita Dey, an official of the city corporation, at a discussion in Gazipur.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The event, jointly organized by the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor-DORP and Gazipur City Corporation, focused on strengthening tobacco control initiatives. She emphasized the need to regulate tobacco use through workshops and highlighted the severe impact of second-hand smoke, which is more harmful than direct smoking, particularly affecting women and children. She also mentioned the high prevalence of white-leaf tobacco use among women, urging its prohibition.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The discussion included plans to issue a proclamation for a tobacco-free Gazipur City Corporation and deliberations on budget allocation to enhance tobacco control measures. The keynote presentation, delivered by Rubina Islam, Program Coordinator at DORP, outlined six key proposals aligned with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). These proposals included eliminating designated smoking areas in public places and transport, banning the display of tobacco products at sales points, prohibiting corporate social responsibility activities by tobacco companies, and restricting the import, production, and marketing of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. Additional recommendations included ending the open retail of tobacco products and increasing the size of graphic health warnings on tobacco product packaging from 50% to 90%.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Program Manager of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) Bangladesh, Md. Abdus Salam Mia, highlighted that six out of eight major non-communicable diseases are caused by tobacco, resulting in 442 deaths daily in Bangladesh. He urged the government to expedite the approval and implementation of the amended tobacco control law to protect public health.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The meeting was chaired by Freedom Fighter Md. Azhar Ali Talukder, retired Secretary and Advisor to DORP. He emphasized the need for proper enforcement of tobacco control laws and expressed optimism about achieving a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040 through collective effort and adherence to the commitments made under the FCTC.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DORP also acknowledged the Ministry of Commerce’s recent gazette notification banning the import of e-cigarettes and electronic nicotine delivery systems, issued on January 1, 2025, as a landmark decision in tobacco control progress.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Notably, the draft of the "Smoking and Tobacco Product Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024" was presented to the Cabinet in September 2023 but was returned for revisions. The Ministry of Health has since formed a 12-member committee to refine the draft and resubmit it for approval.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Established in 1987, DORP is a prominent development organization engaged in grassroots social and health initiatives. The organization is well-known for introducing the Maternity Allowance Program and continues to work on strengthening tobacco control laws and raising awareness about tobacco taxation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">BN/kh</div>