Public Health on Top

Two water booths have been installed in the Chattogram Export Processing Zone (EPZ) and Laxipura, Gazipur, as a part of the "Shujola" project, implemented by Swisscontact Bangladesh and financed by JTI Foundation. Officials of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC), Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) and JTI Bangladesh were present during the inauguration of the water booths. Similarly, through its so-called Banayan (afforestation) initiative, British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) has been promoting itself as a partner to the Government's ongoing afforestation program to implement SDG-15 (Life on Land). Very recently, in association with the Department of Agricultural Extension of Chuadanga, the company has inaugurated rice harvesting with Combined Harvester Machine. Since the current tobacco control law of Bangladesh (as of December 2020) does not have any complete ban on tobacco industry corporate social responsibilities (CSR) activities, such activities have emerged as the primary tool for tobacco companies to hide their hideous engagement in death trade. According to a study regarding the tobacco industry interference in Bangladesh, tobacco industry is using CSR programs of companies as a pretense to get closer to policymakers, government officials and administration in order to exploit this liaison to extract different benefits and to interfere in tobacco control activities. In addition, the companies publicize their CSR activities as much as possible to create a positive impression of the corporate image among the public. The study also includes that in a sharp contrast to the Prime Minister’s vision of a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040, the Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh in a bi-lateral meeting with the Industry Minister requested him to bring "rational" changes in the country's excise tax on tobacco considering the fact that Japan Tobacco generates large amounts of revenue for the government. The study recommends that all kinds of CSR activities of tobacco companies be completely banned through an amendment of the current tobacco control law. Such recommendation must be implemented without any delay.