Women MPs for swift tobacco control law amendment

Women Parliament Members’ Forum Against Tobacco have urged the swift passage of the tobacco control law amendments, proposed by the Ministry of Health, to help achieve Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's vision of a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040.

A discussion meeting was organized by Nari Maitree to advocate the demand on Wednesday (June 26) at the Krishibid Institute in Dhaka.

The event provided a platform for members of the Women Parliament Members’ Forum Against Tobacco to highlight the importance of passing the proposed amendments of the tobacco control law without delay and to discuss strategies for achieving a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040, said a press release.

The event was chaired by Shabnam Jahan Shila MP, the Convener of the Women Parliament Members’ Forum Against Tobacco. Also the event was honored by the attendance of prominent MPs of the Forum, including-Mahfuza Sultana (Women's Seat-6), Zara Jabin Mahbub (Women's Seat-7), Masuda Siddiq Rozy (Women's Seat-34), Nazma Aktar (Women's Seat-37), Anima Mukti Gomes (Women's Seat-29), Sheikh Anar Koli Putul (Women's Seat-30), Ashrafunnessa (Women's Seat-44), Kanan Ara Begum (Women's Seat-41), Laila Parveen (Women's Seat-13), Sanjida Khanam (Women's Seat-32), Farida Yeasmin (Women's Seat-35), and Hasina Bari Chowdhury (Women's Seat-31).

Shabnam Jahan Shila, MP highlighted the various activities of the Women Parliament Members’ Forum Against Tobacco. She said that tobacco causes 161,000 deaths annually. To reduce this death rate, the forum has undertaken several effective measures. Forum members have sent a letter to the Prime Minister urging the passage of the tobacco control law amendment as quick as possible to save lives. Also, the members have continued anti-tobacco campaigns on social media and also in mass media to build greater public opinion.

Other forum members also demanded for the swift passage of the tobacco control law. They emphasized that it is their responsibility to protect future generations. They expressed concerns over the habit of smoking among the youth and stressed the importance of a social movement against tobacco at the grassroots level to support the anti-tobacco campaign.

Adrienne Pizatella, representative of Bloomberg Philanthropies, Dr. Maheen Malik, Director of the South Asian Programs for Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and Masuma Alam, President of Nari Maitree also attended the meeting. They appreciated the initiative of the Women MPs initiative and requested the Forum members to use their influence to expedite the passage of the draft amendment of the tobacco control law to save lives and thereby supporting the commitment of honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to make Bangladesh tobacco-free by 2040.