BATB factory building moves ahead against pledge for tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040

Ignoring the declaration from the government to make the country tobacco-free by 2040, British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) has started building a new cigarette factory. A huge construction work is underway covering 42 acres of lands in the outskirt of the capital, Savar. Anti-tobacco activists are alleging that this step to build the new tobacco factory is against the government pledge of a tobacco-free nation. Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina had declared in 2016 that to reach the SDG goals, the country will be made tobacco-free before 2040. But BATB is interfering the government attempts. And now question arises that how the country will be made tobacco-free by 2040 if the multinational tobacco companies remain so active. ABM Zubair, Executive Director, PROGGA, opined that this is conflicting with the declaration of the Prime Minister and will hamper reaching the SDG goals. Dr. Arup Ratan Chowdhury, member of National Tobacco Control Task-force Committee said that the BATB attempt should be stopped with the participation of National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC). Eminent Economist, Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said that Bangladesh should not permit such cigarette producing factories and a policy should be declared about the issue. State Minister for Finance M A Mannan told that he was unaware of the BATB factory. The minister also said that he would table the issue during the talks between his ministry and government. He also said that legal measures will be adopted if there are any specific information is available against this attempt.