Bangabhaban made smoking-free zone

President Zillur Rahman yesterday declared county's historic and traditional palace Bangabhaban as a smoking-free zone for encouraging countrymen to quit this bad habit.
All staff of Bangabhaban must stay away from smoking and if anyone is found smoking would have to face departmental punishment, he said while a delegation of Physicians led by National Prof Brig Gen (retd) Abdul Malik called on him at Bangabhaban.
During the meeting, the president asked all concerned to keep all government offices and educational institutions free from smoking as it causes various fatal diseases like heart attack, high blood pressure, cancer and pancreatic ailments.
"Smoking is a social problem ant it also inspires people to many other bad practices," Zillur observed.
Referring to increase in tobacco cultivation in many areas of the country, Malik underlined the need for further strengthening the Anti-tobacco Act side by side with raising the amount of fine for violation of the concerned law.
He informed the president that the government receives about Tk 5,000 crore as tax from the cigarette companies while some Tk 11,000 crore is being spent for treatment of the people by the government. "The farmers should be encouraged to grow alternative cash crops in place of tobacco," he said.
Malik suggested to increase tax on the tobacco related products side by side with creating awareness among the school children through incorporating it in their curriculum to keep the young generation away from this bad habit.
The delegation also apprised the president that smoking is strictly prohibited in Bhutan and the government could follow this instance in Bangladesh also.
Malik proposed formation of a forum titled `United Forum Against Tobacco' with President Zillur Rahman as the Chief Patron and comprising all doctors' associations of the country to resist smoking all over Bangladesh.
President Zillur Rahman gave his consent to be the chief patron of the forum.
The delegation included National Heart Foundation Vice president Prof RK Khondakher, Joint Secretary Sirajul Islam and President of Bangladesh Cancer Society Prof Mollah Obaiyedullah Baki.