Anti-tobacco groups are urging the government to impose higher taxes on tobacco products and increase fines for public smoking, reports the Dhaka Tribune.

Speaking at a webinar hosted by the Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) and Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust (WBB) participants said Bangladesh needed to impose a specific tax to prevent youngsters from consuming tobacco and raise the fine for smoking in public by amending the Tobacco Control Act 2005, reports the Dhaka Tribune.
Farhana Zaman Liza, program manager of the Tobacco Control and Research Cell at the Dhaka International University said it was important to increase awareness amongst youths and pointed out the dangers of advertising.
“Domestic and foreign tobacco companies have massive campaigns to encourage teenagers to use tobacco, in violation of existing laws,” she said.
Syed Saiful Alam, media advocacy officer of WBB Trust agreed stating that many tobacco companies were also offering home deliveries amid the pandemic. “Characters in web series and on television are seen smoking cigarettes, which is just covert advertisements being placed by tobacco companies – this must be stopped,” he added.
According to the Dhaka Tribune, it is not possible to punish tobacco companies under the existing law, which is why the anti-tobacco groups are calling for the Tobacco Control Act to be amended.