PROGGA Calls for Strict Measures on Tobacco and Nicotine Products to Protect Youth

Dhaka, Bangladesh || Monday, 1 June 2026 || 18 Jyoishtho 1433

HEADLINE:

Health Ministry’s Role in Strengthening Tobacco Control Law Highly Commendable 26 MPs Issue DO Letters Urging Increased Taxes on Tobacco Products Online gambling pushes the nation towards ruin Front-of-Package Labelling Reduces NCD Risks 33 Held with 2,400 Bags of Cement During Smuggling Attempt to Myanmar Raju Law Expands into Europe Final arguments begin today in case against Obaidul Quader, six others

Heartbreaking Letter from Dr. Samina Azam on Losing Her Father, Freedom Fighter Engineer Mosharraf Hossain

What I am writing is not meant to blame

Capital crime under fire as DMP tightens net

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has intensified a citywide

Social media is pushing children and adolescents toward ruin

Our children and adolescents are passing through a terrifying

How Uranium Will Generate Electricity at Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant

With nuclear fuel loading beginning at the first unit

World No Tobacco Day 2026

PROGGA Calls for Strict Measures on Tobacco and Nicotine Products to Protect Youth

Published : Sunday, 31 May, 2026 at 7:05 PM, Count : 22

PROGGA Calls for Strict Measures on Tobacco and Nicotine Products to Protect Youth

31 May 2026 is World No Tobacco Day. This year's theme is “Unmasking the appeal - Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction”. In Bangladesh, the event will be observed under the title “Prolobhoner Mukhosh Unmachan Kori, Tamak O Nicotiner Asokti Protirodh Kori”. Tobacco and nicotine companies worldwide have long been reinventing and repackaging their products and marketing them through aggressive campaigns with a view to getting children and young people stuck in a cycle of addiction.

The tobacco control movement of Bangladesh has recently gained a much-needed momentum with the passage of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Act, 2026 in the Parliament. However, the exclusion of provisions banning e-cigarettes, vaping, nicotine pouches, and other emerging tobacco products (ETPs) from the law has increased the risk of a new wave of nicotine addiction among youth. Tobacco companies have also been portraying ETPs to the youth as a “safe alternative” and “less harmful” in their aggressive marketing campaign, which undoubtedly is far from the truth.

It should be noted that currently 37.8 million adults (15 y/o and above) in Bangladesh use tobacco products on a regular basis. Tobacco-induced diseases claim nearly 200,000 lives each year in Bangladesh. In 2024, the toll on public health and environment inflicted by tobacco use and production caused the national economy a yearly loss of nearly BDT 87,000 crore which is more than twice the amount of the yearly revenue inflow from tobacco sector.

On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day 2026, ABM Zubair, Executive Director, PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress), said, "To safeguard the youth from the trap of tobacco and nicotine addiction, we must take rapid and impactful policy action against e-cigarette, vaping and other emerging tobacco products."

According to PROGGA, to build a tobacco-free generation, the government must effectively implement the recently-passed tobacco control law without delay, adopt policy to counter tobacco industry interference and effectively raise prices and taxes on tobacco products to bring these products out of the purchasing capacity of the youth in the upcoming national budget.

« Previous