Public Health on Top

The multinational tobacco company British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) has been deriving a number of favors from the government in return of donations. A recent investigation by PROGGA  has revealed that BATB is using its donations to Bangladesh Labor Welfare Foundation (BLWF), under the Ministry of Labor and Employment, to obtain favors that violate interests of the workers. The company has managed to get exempted from a number of legal obligations under Bangladesh Labor Law 2006 through circulars from Ministry of Labor and Employment which allowed BATB to extend its workhours for the employees without pay. What’s more, the official website of BLWF acknowledges BATB as its partner organization which completely goes against public health and overall, public interest. Acceptance of such donation from a tobacco company is a clear breach of Guideline 4.10, under Article 5.3, of the WHO treaty Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). The sub-article prevents the government or any government body or employee from receiving payments, gifts and services (monetary or in-kind) and research funding offered by the tobacco industry to avoid conflict of interest. Also, Article 5.3 Guideline 7.1 prevents the govt. from giving preferential treatment to the tobacco industry. To make Bangladesh tobacco-free by 2040, as per the PM’s directives, this sort of camouflaged infiltration of tobacco company into govt. bodies must be stopped. To adopt and implement policies in light of FCTC Article 5.3 can be the only way forward in this regard.
Another multinational tobacco company is about to start its journey in Bangladesh, which is another matter of grave concern for public health. Japan Tobacco Inc. (JTI) has completed $1.476 billion (Tk. 12,430 crore) transaction with Akij Group of Bangladesh to acquire its tobacco business. It is certain that the entrance of JTI into the local market will increase competition in the death trade and it is the state that has to bear the loss incurred. The neighboring country India has banned foreign direct investment in cigarette industry. To make the country tobacco-free, Bangladesh can also amend its foreign investment related law ‘Foreign Private Investment (Promotion and Protection) Act, 1980’ to ban foreign investment in tobacco production and marketing.