Public Health on Top

The lawful implementation of Graphic Health Warning (GHW) has been jeopardized again for the continuous interference from tobacco companies. Based on the Writ Petition from Bangladesh Cigarette Manufacturers’ Association (BCMA), the High Court has extended the stay order on GHW implementation on upper 50 percent space of tobacco packets/containers for next six months. The stay order deadline has been extended on November 12 even before expiring the first stay order (the first one was set to expire on November 30). Remarkably, the amended tobacco control law was passed in 2013 with the provision of GHW implementation on tobacco packets and the Rules for the implementation were passed in 2015. Owing to the mounting interferences from the tobacco companies, the law is not implemented lawfully so far. Detail
The grand finale of Battle of Minds 2017 will take place this year like the yesteryears. The event is scheduled to be held on December 06 at the Radisson Blu hotel in Dhaka and it mostly aims to attract youths and influence the policymakers to expand the tobacco business. To stop the event, government intervention along with the anti-tobacco movement is required.
All the bad attempts of tobacco companies should be stopped enforcing the TC law and by formulating policies in light of FCTC Article 5.3 and because tobacco companies are the greatest hindrance to achieve ‘tobacco-free Bangladesh’.