The Ahsania Mission Youth Forum for Health and Wellbeing has called for the swift passage of the Amended Tobacco Control Ordinance 2025 as a law in the upcoming 13th National Parliament, underscoring the urgent need to reduce tobacco-related diseases and deaths in Bangladesh.
The demand was raised at the inaugural session of a three-day orientation and planning workshop titled “Tobacco Control Ordinance 2025 and the Way Forward”, held on Monday at the Dhaka Ahsania Mission auditorium in Dhanmondi. The workshop aims to strengthen young leaders’ skills, strategies and leadership capacity in tobacco control advocacy.
Speaking as the chief guest, Md Akhteruzzaman, director general (joint secretary) of the National Tobacco Control Cell, said the government had taken a landmark step by promulgating the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. He emphasised that enacting the ordinance into law in the next parliament is critical to ensure its sustainability and to minimise the harmful impacts of tobacco use.
However, he noted that effective implementation would require stronger awareness, skills and leadership—particularly among young people—who can play a decisive role in shaping public opinion and supporting enforcement at the community level.
As a special guest, Md Ziaul Haque, additional director general of the Department of Environment, said nearly 200,000 people die every year in Bangladesh from tobacco-related causes, citing findings from Tobacco Atlas 2025. He urged youth advocates to intensify campaigns to draw the attention of the government formed after the election so that the ordinance can be passed into law. He also assured that the Department of Environment would support youth-led initiatives in tobacco control.
In his welcome address, Shariful Islam, project coordinator of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, said anti-tobacco youth advocates have long been working effectively to curb tobacco use. The workshop, he said, was organised to clearly familiarise young people with the Tobacco Control Ordinance 2025 and outline the way forward, equipping them with the tools needed to help build a healthier, tobacco-free nation.
The session was chaired by S M Khalilur Rahman, vice president of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, who expressed hope that enhanced youth capacity and coordinated action would give new momentum to the tobacco control movement and accelerate progress toward a tobacco-free Bangladesh.
