Bangladesh has emerged as the first and only country in Asia to classify cigarette filters as single-use plastic (SUP), marking a significant milestone in fulfilling global tobacco control commitments under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
The achievement and the need for swift amendment of the tobacco control law were highlighted at a webinar titled “Translating WHO FCTC COP Decisions into Action in Bangladesh: A Case Study”, jointly organised by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and the Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) on Sunday.
Speakers noted that Bangladesh adopted the SUP classification in line with Article 18 of the WHO FCTC, which addresses environmental protection in tobacco production and manufacturing, during the Conference of the Parties (COP)-10. At the subsequent COP-11, held in Geneva from November 17 to 22, 2025, the Bangladesh government delegation presented its progress and reaffirmed its commitment to amending tobacco control laws and strengthening overall tobacco control measures.
Anti-tobacco activists who had attended previous COPs shared their experiences during the webinar and called for coordinated efforts among all stakeholders to implement the decisions adopted at COP-11.
Discussants emphasised that tobacco remains a major contributor to cancer, stroke, cardiovascular and lung diseases, claiming around 130,000 lives annually in Bangladesh. Citing recent research, they said tobacco use and production impose an estimated economic burden of Tk 87,000 crore on the country each year—more than twice the revenue generated by the tobacco sector—while also causing significant environmental damage.
Speakers noted that although the government has initiated steps to amend the tobacco control law to align it more closely with the WHO FCTC, delays in finalising the amendment continue to exacerbate public health, environmental and economic losses. They urged policymakers to expedite the process and ensure timely enactment of the revised law.
Among the discussants were former BCIC chairman Md Mostafizur Rahman; Saifuddin Ahmed, Executive Director of WBB Trust; Iqbal Masud, Director (Health and WASH) at Dhaka Ahsania Mission; Syed Mahbubul Alam, Senior Technical Advisor at Vital Strategies Bangladesh; and Mizan Chowdhury, Co-convener of ATMA.
ATMA Convener Mortuza Haider Liton delivered the welcome address, while the webinar was presided over by PROGGA Executive Director ABM Zubair. The session was moderated by Rokaiya Abdullah Raka, Programme Officer, and the keynote presentation was delivered by Hasan Shahriar, Head of Programmes at PROGGA.
