Abandon tobacco products, build a tobacco free Bangladesh

Tobacco awareness programme of secondary school students held on Sunday.

Dhaka, 22 September 2024, today at Bansaree Abdur Razzak School and College Auditorium, an awareness meeting was held under the leadership of Shastho Shurokkha Foundation Club on smoking and tobacco control on the topic of “Abandon tobacco products, build a tobacco-free Bangladesh” Begum Sanjida Sultana, Assistant Principal, Abdur Razzak School and College, Dhaka: Public awareness and mass movement should be developed under the leadership of school and college students to protect public health from tobacco harm. Every parent and guardian should be made aware of tobacco products and their participation should strengthen the anti-tobacco campaign and make themselves competent and competent. He also said that every year about 1 lakh 61 thousand people die of tobacco-related diseases.

By examining the saliva of the students of Mirpur and Savar primary schools in Dhaka, nicotine was found in the saliva of 95% of the students. The study mentions that they are victims of second-hand smoke.

Mr. Abdul Momen, Thana Academic Supervisor, Badda: Children are our future. 48 percent of the country's population is youth and students at schools, colleges, and universities and 35 percent of these youth are addicted to tobacco products, which is a threat to us ethnically. To save the lives of these children, it is important to prevent the use of tobacco and make them aware of the harmful effects of tobacco.

Professor Dr. Md. Rafiqul Islam, Director of Health Protection Foundation: A smoke-free society is needed for a healthy and prosperous country. We need to be aware of children’s development currently.

Worldwide, tobacco-related diseases cause more than 80 million deaths annually, of which 71 million dies from direct tobacco use and 90 million from second-hand smoke. Among minors aged 13-15 years (Global Youth Tobacco Survey-2013), 6.9% use some form of tobacco, 9.2% of boys and 2.8% of girls.

So, our aim should be to reduce this percentage to zero.

Manha Sarah and Md. Abu Talha, leading Health Protection Club, presented their statement: Health Protection Club was created to build a healthy and strong Bangladesh. Through various activities of this club, we encourage students and common people to stop the use of tobacco, as many people die every year due to tobacco consumption and they present some of their logical demands through these activities, among them, section 4 of the current law. and 7 to abolish. That is to ban “Designated Smoking Areas (DSA)” in all public places and public transport. Prohibition of display of tobacco products at points of sale. A total ban on any form of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs by tobacco companies. A complete ban on all emerging tobacco products including e-cigarettes, tobacco products. Increase pictorial health warning size from 50% to 90% on packets/cartons of tobacco products. Prohibition of retail sales of bidi-cigarettes unwrapped and open smokeless tobacco products.

The students and teachers at the school presented speeches on the harmful aspects of tobacco and its remedies from their point of view. They demanded that the government order the closure of all temporary tea shops around the campuses, as these temporary tea shops sell all kinds of smoking materials.

Students and teachers of Moynarbagh School Badda, North Point School, and College, Little Jewels International School were also present at this meeting. -   press release