World No Tobacco Day observed

Oblivious of the World No Tobacco Day, a rickshawpuller smokes a cigarette in front of the National Press Club in the city while policemen look on, although a placard has been put up nearby to raise awareness and mark the World No Tobacco Day, which was observed across the globe yesterday. Photo: STAR

The World No Tobacco Day was observed across the country yesterday as elsewhere across the world in a befitting manner.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) selected this year's theme for the day as “Gender and Tobacco” with an emphasis on marketing to women.
Various programmes were chalked out to mark the day at different places of the country including the capital city. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also gave a message on the occasion.
In her message, Hasina said a hidden killer like tobacco and tobacco products gradually lead an individual, a family and a society towards devastation.
She, however, put emphasis on creating mass awareness by highlighting the damaging effects of tobacco and tobacco products, so that women can keep themselves apart from passive smoking and using tobacco leaves and Jarda.
On the occasion, a number of 13 anti-tobacco organisations including Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) and Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) jointly organised a colourful rally in the city.
The rally participated by all sections of the people started from the national museum and ended in front of the TSC of the Dhaka University.
Chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on Women and children affairs ministry Meher Afroz Chumki, CAB General Secretary Advocate Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan, coordinator of Unnayan Samannaya Chinmoy Mutshuddi and Syed Mahbubul Alam of WBB Trust addressed the rally.
They urged the cigarette companies to cover at least half of each cigarette packet with the warning message against tobacco and tobacco products.
In this respect, they called for amending the Tobacco Control Act-2005 and said the companies dealing with tobacco must print the warning message on each packet of the tobacco products.