Md Tazul Islam, chairman of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC); informed that they issued an official order to make all BRTC transports and counters smoke-free.
The BRTC authorities also directed all buses to display stickers with the words ‘Smoking is prohibited in buses for drivers, transport workers and all passengers.’ Md Tazul Islam said that smoking inside BRTC buses will be completely banned anyway.
The BRTC chairman disclosed the information during a views-exchange meeting with a delegation of National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh at BRTC Bhaban in the capital on Tuesday (May 9).
Prof. Dr. Golam Mohiuddin Faruque, president of Bangladesh Cancer Society; led the delegation of National Heart Foundation. SM Kamruzzaman, director (administration and operations) of BRTC; and Dr. Mahbubus Sobhan Lincoln of National Heart Foundation; were also present, among others, during the meeting.
Lylun Naher, program coordinator at Anti-Tobacco Program of Department of Epidemiology and Research at National Heart Foundation; told the Bangladesh Post that BRTC chairman Md Tazul Islam informed them that the order containing ban on smoking in buses and counters will be uploaded on BRTC’s website. It will be done today (Wednesday).
During the views-exchange meeting, the delegation of National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh discussed proposed amendments to the tobacco control law, misuse of CSR activities by tobacco companies, banning the retail sale of bidi, cigarettes and unpacked tobacco products and banning e-cigarettes in Bangladesh and some other points. The BRTC chairman assured to provide necessary support from his position in favour of the proposed draft of the fresh tobacco control law.